Pepe double seals Ivory Coast’s first World Cup knockout spot

Ivory Coast secured a 2-0 victory over Curaçao on Thursday to advance to the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history. Nicolas Pépé scored twice in the Group E clash at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, sealing Les Éléphants’ place in the last 16. The win followed Ivory Coast’s opening 1-0 defeat of Ecuador and a 1-0 loss to Germany in their previous Group E matches. Pépé opened the scoring in the seventh minute, controlling a loose ball before slotting past Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room. His second goal arrived in the 64th minute, a left-footed strike from the far corner that put the result beyond doubt. Ivory Coast had trained in nearby Delaware and even played a friendly against Philadelphia Union’s second team ahead of the tournament. The 68,324-strong crowd included around 40% of Curaçao’s population, many draped in Ivory Coast’s orange. Pépé was substituted in the 67th minute to rest ahead of the June 30 knockout clash against either France or Norway. Curaçao, an autonomous territory of the Netherlands with a population of about 156,000, relied almost entirely on players born and raised in the Netherlands. They needed a win to progress but were outplayed throughout, with Room making 15 saves in their previous 0-0 draw with Ecuador.

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The breakthrough came when 19-year-old Yan Diomande intercepted a Curaçao clearance and fed Pépé for the first goal. Diomande moved to the U.S. four years ago as a non-English-speaking prospect. Room, 37, had earlier kept Curaçao level against Ecuador with a string of crucial stops. Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi, under investigation for alleged betting-related offenses while at Nice, entered the game as a second-half substitute after missing the loss to Germany. Pépé’s brace earned him the player of the game award as Les Éléphants celebrated their historic achievement.

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The victory marked Ivory Coast’s first knockout appearance at a World Cup, capping a campaign that began with a narrow win over Ecuador and ended with a dominant display against Curaçao. Their next opponent will be determined by the outcome of France vs Norway in Group I on June 29. Pépé’s performance drew rapturous applause from the crowd, many of whom had traveled from Curaçao to support Les Éléphants. The win ensured Ivory Coast topped Group E on goal difference ahead of Germany, who finished second.