Croatia’s win kept their hopes alive of qualifying for the Round of 32 stages after England had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Ghana earlier on Tuesday. Striker Josep Stanisic was subbed on in the second and provided an excellent curving ball to Ante Budimir, who tapped into the open net to put Croatia ahead 1-0.
Croatia’s win means Panama are the latest team to be eliminated after failing to secure a single point in their first two games on their World Cup debut.
Meanwhile, Modric became the first-ever Croatian footballer to play in 200 games for his country and only the 4th footballer ever to play in these many international matches, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner has led Croatia to World Cup finishes as runner-up in 2018 and third place in 2022. He accorded a post-game tribute from his teammates after his milestone cap.
“Everybody knows what he means to us. 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,” defender Marin Pongracic was quoted as saying by AP news agency.
Group L will be decided on Saturday, with England and Ghana tied at four points currently and Croatia on three now. England will face Panama in New Jersey, while Ghana and Croatia will play in Philadelphia.
Colombia march into Round of 32 with win over DR Congo
Daniel Munoz helped Colombia find a way past dour DR Congo and book their berth in the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a 1-0 win at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on Tuesday night. Munoz scored in the 76th minute after the Colombians had been kept in check by Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who made five terrific saves in the first 20 minutes.
“We played with intensity and aggression, and we stuck to our style. We earned these three points as a team and for all the fans who came out to support us. This victory gives us a morale boost. We don’t want to settle for this,” Munoz said after the win
Colombia striker Luis Diaz had two goals cancelled in quick succession late in the second half, one for a foul in the 79th minute and another one for offside in the 80th.
Colombia has six points from two matches in Group K, two more than Portugal and five clear of Congo. Colombia need a draw against Portugal on Saturday to win the group and that would also be enough to send Portugal to the knockout stage.
The South American nation did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup and is ranked 11th in the world currently, third best among teams from the region behind Brazil and Argentina.