Panama will head into Tuesday’s World Cup Group L showdown against Croatia short-handed, as coach Thomas Christiansen confirmed that midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla will not be available for the critical match.
The 27-year-old has been working his way back from a muscle injury and was limited to bench duty during Panama’s 1-0 defeat to Ghana last week. Although he had been making strides in his recovery, Christiansen said Carrasquilla felt ill during a training session ahead of the Croatia clash.
“It’s a pity not to have (Carrasquilla) with us for such an important match against Croatia,” Christiansen told reporters. “But we have shown that the group is ready to compete.”
Both Panama and Croatia enter Tuesday’s match looking to bounce back after suffering losses in their opening group stage games. For Panama, the stakes are especially high — if they fall to Croatia and England avoid defeat against Ghana, Panama’s tournament will be over.
“This is the most important one,” Christiansen said. “The group (squad) is very excited. They want to remove the thorn from Ghana, where we deserved a lot more.”
Panama’s loss to Ghana was particularly painful, as the African side didn’t break through until the 95th minute. Despite showing promise going forward, Panama left empty-handed and now must tighten up defensively against a seasoned Croatian squad.
Croatia presents a formidable challenge, boasting 40-year-old veteran midfielder Luka Modric alongside Manchester City pair Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol. The Balkan nation finished third at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and brings a wealth of international experience to the pitch.
“They have top qualities on the flanks, their physical condition is really good,” Christiansen acknowledged, noting that Croatia will be eager to prove their 4-2 loss to England was just a stumble.
Still, Panama’s coach hasn’t given up on the idea of pulling off an upset and claiming the country’s first-ever World Cup victory.
“I am ambitious, but I’m also realistic,” Christiansen said. “Because in this World Cup, we’ve seen interesting results where people did not expect these results. So why couldn’t we be one of those teams that surprises in a positive way?”
