Nicolas Pepe scored twice as Côte d’Ivoire defeated Curacao 2-0 on Thursday to advance to the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history, ending the Caribbean nation’s remarkable tournament run.
The former Arsenal forward, now at Villarreal, opened the scoring after just seven minutes in Philadelphia before adding a second goal shortly after the hour mark to seal victory for the Elephants.
Côte d’Ivoire finished second in Group E with six points, following an opening 1-0 win over Ecuador and a 2-1 defeat to Germany. Germany topped the group on head-to-head advantage despite losing 2-1 to Ecuador in their final group match played simultaneously.
The result marks a milestone for the 2024 African champions, who had previously failed to progress beyond the group stage in their three earlier World Cup appearances. They will now face the runners-up of Group I in the Round of 32 in Dallas next Tuesday, with either France or Norway awaiting.
Curacao’s historic debut at the tournament ended in disappointment as they finished bottom of the group without a win, despite showing resilience in earlier matches.
Dick Advocaat’s side suffered a heavy 7-1 defeat to Germany in their opening game but earned praise for a disciplined goalless draw against Ecuador in their second fixture.
At Lincoln Financial Field, in front of a crowd of 68,324, Curacao began brightly and created several chances, including a long-range effort from Jurien Gaari and a missed opportunity for Leandro Bacuna late in the first half.
However, Côte d’Ivoire struck early when Yan Diomande set up Pepe, who finished from close range after a precise cutback from the young RB Leipzig winger.
Curacao, whose squad featured several players born in the Netherlands, continued to compete well, with Sherel Floranus narrowly missing the target early in the second half.
The Ivorians doubled their advantage in the 64th minute when Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré threaded a precise through ball to Pepe, who controlled inside the box before slotting past goalkeeper Eloy Room into the far corner.
Despite Curacao’s efforts, Côte d’Ivoire remained in control to secure a historic qualification for the knockout stage.
