Croatia sealed their place in the Round of 32 after edging Ghana 2-1 to finish atop Group L, while England wrapped up their group campaign with a convincing 2-0 triumph over Panama.
The Croatians stamped their authority on the contest early, controlling possession and dictating the pace before Petar Sucic broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. The midfielder calmly converted a precise delivery from Mateo Kovacic to hand his side a deserved lead.
With Luka Modric orchestrating play from the middle of the park, Croatia continued to dominate proceedings, leaving Ghana struggling to carve out meaningful opportunities before halftime.
The Black Stars emerged with greater urgency after the interval and were rewarded in the 73rd minute when Daryl Luckassen finished off Ernest Nuamah’s assist to restore parity and briefly revive Ghana’s hopes.
As tensions rose, Croatia’s Ivan Perisic entered the referee’s book before his side found the decisive breakthrough. Nikola Vlasic struck eight minutes from full-time after being set up by Modric, restoring Croatia’s lead and ultimately securing maximum points.
The victory ensured Croatia progressed as Group L winners and booked a date with the runners-up from Group K in the knockout phase.
Despite the defeat, Ghana concluded the group stage with four points, leaving the West Africans with a realistic chance of advancing among the tournament’s best third-placed teams.
In the other Group L fixture, England proved too strong for Panama, recording a comfortable 2-0 victory to continue their World Cup journey.
Panama frustrated the Three Lions for much of the first half, but England eventually found the breakthrough in the 62nd minute when Jude Bellingham clinically finished a move initiated by Bukayo Saka.
Just five minutes later, England doubled their advantage as captain Harry Kane converted Bellingham’s assist to put the result beyond doubt.
The encounter also witnessed disciplinary action, with Panama duo Jose Fajardo and Adalberto Andrade receiving yellow cards alongside England defender Jarell Quansah.
England professionally managed the remainder of the match, denying Panama any clear opportunity to stage a comeback.
The victory sends England into the Round of 32, where they are expected to face one of the tournament’s qualifying third-placed teams, with Senegal or DR Congo among the potential opponents depending on the final group standings.
Panama’s defeat brings their World Cup campaign to an end after failing to progress beyond the group stage.
