Nicolas Pepe scored a brilliant brace as Ivory Coast defeated Curacao 2-0 to secure a historic place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time in the nation’s history.
The former Arsenal winger, now with Villarreal, struck in the seventh minute before adding a second just after the hour mark to seal all three points for the Elephants in Philadelphia.
The victory sees the 2024 African champions finish second in Group E with six points, behind Germany on head-to-head record, following wins over Ecuador and Curacao, and a narrow defeat to Germany.
Ivory Coast will now face the runners-up of Group I in the Round of 32, with a potential blockbuster clash against either France or Norway.
Curacao, the smallest nation ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup with a population of just over 160,000, bow out of the tournament after an inspiring debut campaign. Although they finished bottom of the group without a win, the Caribbean side earned admiration for their resilience, including a hard-fought goalless draw against Ecuador.
Pepe opened the scoring after finishing a well-worked move created by RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande before completing his brace in the 64th minute with a composed finish after an excellent through ball from Ibrahim Sangare.
The victory marks a landmark achievement for Ivory Coast, who had failed to progress beyond the group stage in each of their previous three World Cup appearances.
