Croatia stays alive for World Cup knockout round and eliminates Panama with 1-0 win

TORONTO (AP) — There wasn’t much open space in Panama’s back line as it tried to keep its World Cup hopes alive.

But just four minutes after Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić subbed on an extra forward in the second half, Josip Stanišić validated his coach’s decision, finding some room on the right and making his move.

Stanišić lifted an exceptional curving cross onto the boot of Ante Budimir, who tapped it into an open net in the 54th minute, lifting Croatia to a 1-0 win on Tuesday night.

Croatia remains in contention for the knockout round ahead of its third and final group-stage match against Ghana on Saturday. Panama was eliminated and is still seeking its first World Cup point in two appearances.

“This was very difficult and I didn’t expect that it was going to be such a difficult match, to be honest,” Dalić said. “We didn’t react the best, and perhaps it could be due to the pressure because we really needed these three points.”

Three minutes after Budimir scored, the Vatreni nearly added another goal when 40-year-old Luka Modrić — making his 200th international appearance — passed ahead to Marco Pašalić on a breakaway, but Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera blocked Pašalić’s shot.

“I was quite surprised by the quality (of Panama),” Dalić said.

Modrić, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner as the best player in Europe, has led Croatia to World Cup finishes of runner-up (2018) and third place (2022). He got a postgame tribute from his teammates after his milestone cap.

Croatia players donned black T-shirts that bore Modrić’s image and read “200” in gold, with the zeros linked to resemble the mathematical symbol for infinity. They took a lap around the pitch together.

“Everybody knows what he means to us,” defender Marin Pongračić said. “He’s our captain, he’s our leader, and he’s the biggest legend of Croatian football, and we are witnessing him, and just him as a person, how humble he is. What a mindset, what a mentality.”

Panama had three straight chances in the 67th minute to knot things up, after Cristian Martinez slid to keep the ball in play in the corner. Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković then made a trio of dazzling saves; on the third, he just managed to get a hand on the ball and send it over the net.

“These are the kind of matches where you get the feeling that you’re dominating, that you might score a goal,” Martinez said. “But then they have one chance and they score. These aren’t teams that need much to score a goal.”

Group L will be decided on Saturday, with England and Ghana tied at four points and Croatia with three. England will face Los Canaleros in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while Ghana and Croatia will play in Philadelphia.

Lexie Linderman is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Panama's Andres Andrade (16) tries reach the ball during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Panama and Croatia in Toronto, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Croatia's Ante Budimir (centre) celebrates his goal against Panama with Ivan Perisic (14) and Martin Baturina (16) during the second half of a World Cup Group L soccer match, in Toronto, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Croatia's Luka Modric, center right, celebrates with Ivan Perisic after defeating Panama as teammates wear shirts honouring his 200th appearance for Croatia following a World Cup Group L soccer match, in Toronto, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Croatia's Mateo Kovacic (8) and Panama's Jose Fajardo (17) vie for the ball during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Panama and Croatia in Toronto, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Croatia's Ante Budimir (11) celebrates a goal against Panama during the second half of a World Cup Group L soccer match, in Toronto, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — After his team got rained out two days in a row, Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell sounded a little miffed about the second one.

Hours later Tuesday, he was criticizing a major league rule that led to his ejection following an unusual play.

Chicago's series opener Monday night against the Mets in New York was postponed because of poor weather and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday at Citi Field.

Counsell and the Cubs also got washed out back home at Wrigley Field on Sunday, when they were supposed to wrap up a series against the Toronto Blue Jays. That game will be made up Aug. 6.

“Look, consecutive rainouts are, they're troublesome for pitching, for sure. And frankly, yesterday's game did not need to be rained out. It didn't rain, and for some reason we didn't play," Counsell said in the dugout late Tuesday afternoon, with a tarp covering the infield on another drizzly day in Queens.

There were a couple of heavy thunderstorms around Citi Field on Monday, in the late afternoon and after 11 p.m. It was a wet day throughout with light showers and mist — but the rain mostly stopped between about 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

First pitch had been scheduled for 7:10 p.m., but the game was called approximately 40 minutes before that. In their news release, the Mets announced the game was “postponed due to weather.”

It was the first time the Cubs had back-to-back games postponed because of weather since April 2018 — and the first time in different cities since early October 1986.

Counsell was asked if he sought any sort of explanation.

“Major League Baseball tells you the game’s canceled, and that’s it. Especially on the road. That’s all you get,” he said.

Shota Imanaga had been scheduled to start Monday for Chicago against Japanese countryman Kodai Senga, but with all the uncertainty during the evening about whether the game would be played, the Cubs ended up having Imanaga throw a bullpen and pushed his turn back to Wednesday.

"Just to give him a chance to touch the mound and be a little more in routine,” Counsell said.

Edward Cabrera started Tuesday night against Senga in the opener of a four-game series, which began following an 11-minute rain delay. Cabrera hurt his left leg in a 9-6 victory and is headed to the injured list.

"You stack a doubleheader, which affects — you’re not going to have enough starters available, so we’re either going to end up with a bullpen game or we’re going to call up (someone) later in the week,” Counsell said before the game.

In the seventh inning, Michael Busch drew a one-out walk for the Cubs that appeared to advance Pete Crow-Armstrong from first base to second.

Crow-Armstrong was running on the full-count pitch, however, and slid headfirst into second as Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez threw down. New York manager Carlos Mendoza challenged the play, and a replay review determined Crow-Armstrong was tagged out when he lost contact with second base at one point.

So even though Busch walked, his teammate was out at second.

“No comment. Pretty confusing stuff,” said Crow-Armstrong, who was ushered away from umpires when he attempted to argue.

Counsell got an explanation from the umps about what Mendoza was challenging. But when the call was overturned, Counsell came back onto the field and argued, waving his hand dismissively.

That's when he got ejected.

“Umpires interpret rules correctly. They don’t get that stuff wrong," Counsell said. "It’s a bad rule. It’s a terrible rule. I mean, I don’t know what else to say. Like, not a good rule.”

Jayden Murray reported to the Cubs and was added to their bullpen after the right-hander was acquired Saturday from the Houston Astros in a trade for minor league first baseman Cameron Sisneros.

“This is a guy that’s had a lot of success in the minor leagues. He’s pitched really well in the minor leagues. In the big leagues, he’s gotten just a limited opportunity," Counsell said. "We’ve got options, obviously, so there’s going to be some flexibility, but we like his performance right now in the minor leagues and think he’s ready to pitch big league innings.”

Murray made his Cubs debut in the ninth and gave up three runs, including Bo Bichette's homer, before getting the final out.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Secnd base umpire Chris Guccione, front, walks Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell off the field following his ejection as he argues after Moisés Ballesteros hit into a double play in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell, left, argues with second base umpire David Rackley after Chicago Cubs designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros hit into a double play in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Chicago Cubs' center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, left, and manager Craig Counsell, right, argue with umpire Jordan Baker (71) during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)