Panama vs Croatia Bet Builder Tips: Checkered Ones can party like it’s 2018

Croatia take on Panama in Toronto as they search for a maiden Group L point at this 2026 World Cup (12am BST, 7pm local, BBC One & iPlayer). England saw off Luka Modric and friends 4-2 in a thrilling contest while Panama lost 1-0 to Ghana in their opener.

Scroll down and point your peepers at my Croatia vs Panama Bet Builder tips.

Panama vs Croatia Odds

Both teams to score - Yes

Croatia are a side that likes to duke it out. Both teams had scored in five of their last six games entering the World Cup. Since then, they have waged an exhilarating 4-2 battle with England. Where Zlatko Dalic’s men go, goals tend to follow.

Panama’s recent outings have also featured plenty of penalty box action. Los Canaleros entered the tournament on the back of five consecutive matches where BTTS had landed. While Ghana kept them quiet, the more mercurial Croatia defence should provide opportunities for Panama to score.

Match result - Croatia

Many of the players in this Croatia squad played in the 2018 World Cup campaign where they reached the final. Ivan Perisic scored in that 4-2 defeat to France in Russia, while the likes of Luka Modric, Andrej Kramaric and Dominik Livakovic remain from that squad.

While these players are in their mid-to-late 30s now, they bring a wealth of experience, quality and big game knowhow. Their ages are unlikely to be a barrier here either, considering the fact that Panama actually have the oldest squad at the tournament. The underdogs have an average age of 30. 

I expect the remarkable guile and experience of the veterans and the precocious energy of next-gen stars like opening-game goalscorer Martin Baturina and Luka Vuskovic to see Croatia through.

Over 3.5 total goals

As evidenced earlier, both sides here have a history of scoring and conceding goals in considerable numbers. Croatia have shipped four already. While I expect them to be less permissive at the back, I also believe the Checkered Ones will score more than the two goals they managed against Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions.

Panama will be good for a goal or two, but this is Croatia’s match to win and I think they’ll do it in some style after showing positive attacking signs against England.

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