Why did Panama’s coach say they could not win without scoring?

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Panama’s coach said they could not win without scoring because Panama were eliminated after failing to find the net in their match against Croatia
Panama’s coach Thomas Christiansen said, “You cannot win a match if you don’t score,” after Panama were eliminated from World Cup contention following Croatia’s 1-0 win. Croatia’s Ante Budimir scored in the 54th minute, and Panama ultimately did not equalise despite pressing for a goal. Christiansen also pointed to Panama’s overall performance, saying he was “super proud” of the players for how they battled against a higher-ranked side.
Croatia’s 1-0 goal decided the match in the 54th minute
The key match result was Croatia keeping their hopes alive for the last 32 with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Panama. Budimir’s goal came in the 54th minute and proved enough to eliminate Panama from World Cup contention. With Panama trailing by one goal, they needed to score to change the outcome.
Panama pressed for an equaliser but failed to score
The match included chances for Panama, including a moment in the 23rd minute when Jose Luis Rodriguez guided a header towards goal that was redirected off the bar by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. In the second half, Panama continued pressing, but they ultimately “failed to find the net,” extending their World Cup goalless streak. Without a goal, they could not force a draw or progression.
The coach linked the outcome to missed scoring opportunities
Christiansen’s statement came directly after the match where Panama were unable to score against Croatia and were knocked out of World Cup contention. He said he was “super proud” of his players for battling against the higher-ranked Croatian side, but the result still hinged on the fact that Panama did not score. In that context, his remark reflected the match reality that scoring was required to win or at least draw.

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Why did Panama’s coach say they could not win without scoring?

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