Ivory Coast Secure World Cup Knockout Berth with Pepe’s Double

The West Africans will face the second-place finisher between France and Norway in Group I on Tuesday in Texas.

Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026

Nicolas Pepe’s dual performance secured Ivory Coast’s historic advancement to the World Cup knockout stage following a 2-0 triumph over Curacao.

Pepe’s unexpected brace in the Group E decider propelled the Ivorians to second place with six points, while Curacao’s elimination marked their exit from the tournament. Les Elephants had previously finished third in their 2006-14 World Cup campaigns.

The West Africans will now confront the group’s runner-up—either France or Norway—on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.

Curacao, the eighth team eliminated in the tournament, faced an unexpected early exit despite qualifying as the smallest nation to reach the World Cup finals last November.

Dick Advocaat, managing his third World Cup side at 78, guided Curacao through this final group stage encounter.

Amad Diallo, Ivory Coast’s first goal-scorer of the tournament, left the field at halftime, though the reason for his departure remains unclear.

Despite not featuring in recent African Cup of Nations squads or qualifying matches, Pepe delivered crucial goals in his first competitive international goals since October 2024.

The first goal arrived in the seventh minute, following a sharp pass from 19-year-old Yan Diomande, who positioned Pepe to capitalize on a Curacao defensive lapse.

Diomande returned the ball from the byline, allowing Pepe to strike a low, first-time finish from six yards, bypassing goalkeeper Eloy Room.

Despite mid-80s temperatures and ample sunlight, the match’s tempo slowed before Pepe netted a second in the 64th minute.

Ibrahim Sangare precisely threaded a pass to Pepe, who curled a shot from 12 yards into the left post, just inside the goal.

While Ivory Coast’s win was well-earned, Curacao created opportunities. Leandro Bacuna broke through three defenders in the 44th minute but sent his shot wide. Later, Sherel Floranus nearly scored from beyond the box but struck over the crossbar.

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