Croatia, and Their Fans, Take Over Toronto in the World Cup

Game four in Toronto. Thoughts of another Canada men’s national team game, this time ahead rather than behind, sit firmly at the forefront of the mind.

TTC to Main Station, GO Train from Danforth to Exhibition, a pause on the stadium side of the tunnel to take in the sights, albeit much much earlier than usual. There are press conferences to monitor.

Already, however, it is apparent who will be playing in this match. The red-white checker board is everywhere. Jerseys, hats, t-shirts, more than a few water polo caps, even some overalls. Later, in the stadium, some forego shirts altogether, painting themselves in that familiar pattern.

Croatia are in town.

When Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup, Toronto was robbed of what would have been a truly special occasion. The city would have stood still, one imagines – well, College Street at least. In that absence, Croatia-Panama became the obvious standout. Reports differ, how one gets an accurate count anyways seems a stretch, but at least 100 000 people of Croatian heritage call the Toronto region home. It felt like half of them were headed to BMO Field.

Seeking out a quiet corner to try to record a press conference, easier said than done on game day, a march to the match streams by on the other side of the security perimeter. Unseen, but definitely heard and felt.

Panama were outnumbered, no doubt, but still surprised delightfully by the volume they produced.

Now in the stadium, the Central Americans are to the left, the north stand spreading to the west. To the south the Europeans, south and everywhere else. Actually it’s hard to differentiate based on the visual presentation. Panama’s red, white, and blue blending too easily into the white, red, and blue of Croatia. It makes one miss Cote d’Ivoire’s orange, the clear dividing line of the support.

When Luka Modric’s name is announced there is a roar, Ivan Perisic’s draws another nearly as loud. Some Croatian power ballad whips the crowd into a frenzy, every single one of them seems to know the words. It is followed by ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ then a remix of ‘Thunderstruck’ – what year exactly did arena music stop evolving? – but no ‘Panama’ from Van Halen, tisk, tisk – a missed opportunity.

The anthems ring out around the stadium like the fans had waited years, decades for the opportunity to take part. For all the bad, and there has been much, moments like this remind why North America is such a perfect host for competitions like this. For every team there will be an expat community. When their team is nearby they flock at the chance to express proudly the identity left behind. Even when it means that Canada is outnumbered at home, one has to respect it.

There is a really boisterous Panamanian section behind the north goal, intent on giving the Croatia a run for their money, undaunted by being outnumbered 10-1.

Modric, making his 200th appearance for Croatia, starts it off. Moments later he is on the end of a cross, a header from the smallest man on the pitch. In the fifth minute Modric plays a ball into the path of Perisic but it runs away from him, how loud a cheer would that have brought had it led to the opener.

But the opponent came to play too. Where Croatia want to establish control, Panama refuse to let them. Yoel Bárcenas is a handful. José Farajdo relentless. Carlos Harvey wins a dangerous free kick having forced a sliding block tackle from Mateo Kovacic.

Croatia are slow, call it methodical, call it plodding. Either way, Panama are intent on a disruption: apply pressure, force a turnover, and hit on the counter. An uncharacteristically poor ball from Modric leads to him foul the red-topped José Luis Rodríguez with a late tackle – ‘why won’t you just let us pick you apart with our passing?’ is the unasked question.

It is a very windy day by the lake, not ideal for precision. Panama are keeping the ball on the ground, for the most part. Cristian Martínez leaves one on Josko Gvardiol: welcome to Concacaf.

But Panama are imperfect too. A one-two up the right from Amir Murillo and Martínez ends in a weak shot. A Rodríguez header is tipped onto the bar by Dominik Livakovic, but the Murillo cross had gone out of play before curling back in. Everything up to the final third is solid, everything after it is lacking.

The boos come, for the usual reason, the hydration break again interrupts the proceedings. Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ only rubs it in.

Panama refuse to cower to the might of Croatia, there is no backing off, no respect. They won’t give them a minute. But the Croatians have tools in their back pocket as well. Modric and Kovacic, not finding the time they want in midfield, go hands off, letting the others carry the load for a bit, searching for different channels, mostly in the wide areas.

There is one particular ball Croatia is trying again and again, these vertically-angled high forward passes looking to pick out a runner, hoping one will drop. Perfect for an over-the-shoulder catch, alas the Argos are not playing. None has yet, but it might only take one.

Panamanian crowd sings their side into half-time, one of those familiar tunes one cannot place. It makes the hair on the arm stand up, as only the Canadian anthem has done at BMO Field. Croatia’s keeper Livakovic has heard enough, he riles up their fans in response.

Martínez did not like that. He leaves the slightest of touches on the Croatian keeper when play resumes. Livakovic stays down, the Central Americans urge him to get up – ain’t that something. It is Rodríguez’ turn to jeer up the crowd, but the Croatian masses have found their voice.

And then comes the goal.

Josip Stanisic crosses from the right, Ante Budimer, on at half-time, meets it with a sliding finish at the back-post. It might only take one. The Croatian fans just needed some prodding to find their voice.

And now, advantage in hand, its their side’s turn to counter, breaking from a Panama corner kick, a three-man press forces a change of possession, Modric sets up Marco Pasalic, but his weak chip attempt is saved and the rebound put high and wide. Zlatko Dalic wanted that second one.

Again Panama does all the hard bits, Murillo flinging a cross in for Fajardo, but just a little too high. The hardest thing to do in soccer is score goals, but it’s also the most important.

Bárcenas is booked for finishing his check on Modric, perhaps the time spent in Nottawasaga is rubbing off. Modric races back to match the pace of Rodríguez, there is still some juice in those legs.

Wait, is that ‘Panama’?

Martínez does really well to keep it in, but Murillo is twice denied from tight angles. The water break comes once more, the enthusiasm at the thrust and parry of the second half immediately turns to more boos from the packed house of 43,036, though once more seats in the north east corner of the temporary stand look suspiciously unoccupied.

Modrid comes off in the 81st minute, a classy move from Dalic to give the maestro a curtain call. It wasn’t a classic performance, but it was enough – as goes Modric so goes Croatia. It is telling that the generous ovation as he actually came off was outdone by the cheer when the sub was announced. Not everyone is tuned into the action on the field.

In the end, one goal was indeed enough, Panama doomed by a lack of finish, and it was another enjoyable World Cup night at Toronto.

Did the spectators get their money’s worth? That is hard to say. Witnessing a Croatia win the World Cup might be a once in a lifetime thing. In attendance there were grandparents who will have memories of the homeland and youngsters who may have never been, both sides of the spectrum will remember this day, whether the game itself was memorable or not.

One feels for Panama, they were good in both matches, but lost a single goal in each. At least the goal came early, the ghosts of BMO Field and their penchant for late goals, were quiet on this day. Thomas Christiansen praised the welcome his side has experienced during their stay in Canada, the results have been less kind, however.

After the final whistle, the Croatian side gathers, black t-shirts recognizing Modric’s 200th are put on by each of his teammates as they salute the fans to the south and begin a tour around the pitch. Another power ballad ushers them on.

Game five in Toronto will be played on Friday, Senegal against Iraq. It will be the final group stage match. Toronto Stadium will host one further match, a Round of 32 fixture on July 2. The World Cup has gone by fast. It will be missed when it is over.