PHILADELPHIA (US), June 26 (ANI) — Ivory Coast secured a historic 2–0 victory over Curaçao in their final Group E match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday (local time), booking their place in the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
A brace from Nicolas Pépé powered Les Éléphants to second place in Group E, ending Curaçao’s spirited debut campaign and sealing a landmark achievement for the African side.
Ivory Coast started strongly, dominating possession and pressing high from the outset. Their early pressure paid off in the seventh minute when a sharp midfield move created space for Pépé, who reacted quickly to a precise pass and calmly finished past Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room.
Curaçao, needing a win to keep their knockout hopes alive, struggled to cope with Ivory Coast’s intensity. While they had occasional moments going forward, including a long-range effort from Jurien Gaari, they found it difficult to break through a disciplined Ivorian defence led by Ousmane Diomande and Odilon Kossounou.
After the break, Ivory Coast controlled the tempo of the match, limiting Curaçao’s attacking opportunities and dominating midfield exchanges. Their composure proved decisive again in the 64th minute when Pépé combined on the edge of the box before firing a powerful strike beyond Room to complete his brace and effectively seal the result.
With his performance, Pépé became only the fifth player to score more than once for Ivory Coast at a men’s FIFA World Cup, according to Opta Analyst.
Ivory Coast then managed the remainder of the match comfortably, rotating players to maintain control and neutralize late pressure from Curaçao, who failed to create clear chances in the closing stages.
The result ensured Ivory Coast finished with six points in Group E, behind Germany, who suffered a 2–1 defeat to Ecuador in the parallel fixture.
Ivory Coast will now face the runner-up of Group I—either France or Norway—in the Round of 32. (ANI)
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