Ivory Coast into World Cup knockout round as Pépé scores twice in 2-0 win over Curaçao
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Ivory Coast's Nicolas Pépé (19) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group E football match between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
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Ivory Coast's Nicolas Pépé (19) and Curacao's Deveron Fonville (24) fight for the ball during the World Cup Group E football match between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ivory Coast got goals from Nicolas Pépé in each half and advanced to the World Cup knockout round for the first time in the West African team’s history with a 2-0 victory over Curaçao on Thursday.
Les Éléphants have crashed the party and made it out of their group for the first time in four World Cup appearances.
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 in its tournament opener — at the same Philadelphia stadium as Thursday’s game — and lost to Germany in its Group E second game.
Ivory Coast will play on June 30 against either France or Norway, whichever is the runner-up in Group I.
Curaçao needed to win and instead failed to become the smallest nation to qualify for the knockout stages.
Pépé, who plays for the Spanish club Villarreal, wiped out all the suspense in this one early, scoring in just the seventh minute, and the lead held the rest of the game in front of an enthusiastic crowd that made Les Éléphants feel at home.
Ivory Coast held its training base in nearby Delaware and practiced at the Philadelphia suburban home of Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union.
Throw in a friendly (against the Union’s second team), and the thrilling win in the 90th minute against Ecuador, and Les Éléphants found their adoptive fans among the crowd of 68,324 — about 40% of the population of Curaçao — at the home of the NFL’s Eagles.
The fans in Ivory Coast orange went wild when Pépé scored again on a left-footed shot from the far corner in the 64th minute to seal the win.
He was subbed out three minutes later to earn just a bit more rest for the June 30 game that will serve as the biggest one for the national team in World Cup history.
Ivory Coast needed only a draw to advance, yet played with a competitive fire the rest of the game and never let Curaçao seem close to getting even in this one.
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