Josko Gwaldior admitted that he hopes to maintain his current form and will be fully prepared for the next match.

Croatian defender Josko Gvardior expressed his satisfaction with the team's 1-0 victory over Panama in an interview. This win significantly improved Croatia's prospects of advancing to the knockout stage.  

After the match, Josko Gwaldior said, "We were significantly better in the second half than in the first. Now we need to review the whole game and analyze where we can still improve. There was a lot of space on the field, but the opponents controlled most of the second balls, which allowed them to create some counter-attacking threats."  

"However, I must emphasize that the whole team was very aggressive in defending and tracking back, with everyone giving their all from the first player to the last. We improved our overall performance in the second half, and we are also happy with Ante Budimir's goal. In the end, we successfully secured the three points."  

When discussing his individual performance, Josko Gwaldior said, "I'm not quite sure how to evaluate it. It might look different from an outsider's perspective, but it might not have been my best game. At least during the first half when I was on the field, my involvement wasn't very high."  

"Perhaps it was a good decision for the coach to move Ivan Perisic to a deeper defensive position and to adjust the pace of the game by bringing on fresh, energetic players. Ultimately, this adjustment proved to be effective, and most importantly, we secured three points."  

“After a win, everything becomes easier. Ideally, we hope to continue this form, but the next game will certainly not be easy. England only managed a draw against them, despite dominating possession. This reminds us again that there are no easy games in the World Cup. We must recover our fitness as soon as possible, be fully prepared, and strive for three more points.”  

"The main problem was that Panama's defense was positioned very deep, with many players clustered in front of the defensive line, making it difficult for us to effectively break through their defensive system. However, a brilliant combination play on the right flank in the second half changed the course of the game. After scoring, they were forced to push forward, which created more space for us and allowed us to play at our own pace. We expect Ghana to adopt a similar tactical approach, so we will prepare carefully, develop corresponding tactical plans, and strive to win again."  

Croatia's victory over Panama not only secured three crucial points but also significantly boosted team morale and confidence, preparing them well for their upcoming important group stage match against Ghana. The team also celebrated captain Luka Modric's historic milestone of making 200 appearances for the national team.  

Image source: Internet/Croatian National Team official website