Cote d’Ivoire created history on Thursday after defeating Curacao 2-0 to qualify for the FIFA World Cup knockout stage for the first time, with Nicolas Pepe scoring both goals in a landmark victory that secured second place in
The Elephants entered their final group match knowing victory would guarantee progression regardless of events elsewhere, and they wasted little time taking control.
Pepe opened the scoring in the seventh minute after capitalising on a defensive mistake, giving Emerse Faes side the perfect start.
While Curacao, making their FIFA World Cup debut, responded with determination and enjoyed spells of possession, they struggled to convert their chances against an organised Ivorian defence.
The Caribbean nation, the smallest country ever to qualify for a men’s World Cup finals, continued to fight but found goalkeeper Yahia Fofana and the Ivory Coast backline difficult to break down.
Ivory Coast gradually regained control in the second half, with Ibrahim Sangare becoming increasingly influential in midfield. His perfectly weighted through ball found Pepe, who calmly finished in the 64th minute to complete his brace and effectively seal the contest.
The victory capped an impressive turnaround for Pepe, who had been left out of recent international squads but returned to make arguably the biggest contribution of Ivory Coast’s campaign. His two goals earned him FIFA’s Superior Player of the Match award.
The result also marked another milestone for head coach Emerse Fae, who was part of Ivory Coast’s first-ever World Cup squad in 2006 as a player.
Twenty years later, he has now guided the West African nation into the knockout rounds for the first time in its history.
For Curacao, the defeat brought an end to a memorable debut tournament. Although they finished bottom of Group E, they earned their first-ever World Cup point earlier in the competition and showed they could compete against more established football nations.
Ivory Coast now head into the Round of 32 with growing confidence after collecting seven points from their three group matches.
With Pepe rediscovering his scoring touch and the team showing defensive discipline throughout the group stage, the Elephants will believe they can continue their historic run when the knockout phase begins.
