Pépé Sends Côte d'Ivoire Into the Knockouts
Pépé Double Sends Côte d'Ivoire Into the Knockouts and Ends Curaçao's Fairytale
June 25, 2026 | Group E | Philadelphia Stadium
Nicolas Pépé chose the biggest stage to remind everyone of his quality. The former Arsenal forward scored twice as Côte d'Ivoire beat Curaçao 2-0 at Philadelphia Stadium, sending Les Éléphants into the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in their history and bringing the tournament debutants' remarkable run to an end.
Côte d'Ivoire needed only a draw to advance as Group E runners-up, but Emerse Fae's side wasted no time taking control. The breakthrough arrived inside seven minutes. Curaçao failed to clear their lines, Yan Diomande pounced on the loose ball in the box and squared it, and Pépé swept a first-time finish into the bottom corner. It was the dream start the three-time African champions wanted, and it settled any early nerves.
Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to appear at a World Cup, had come into the match with genuine hope. After a chastening 7-1 defeat to Germany in their opener, they had earned a landmark point by holding Ecuador to a goalless draw, a night in which goalkeeper Eloy Room made a record fifteen saves. A win here would have carried them into the Round of 32. They came out firing, with Tahith Chong threatening early and Leandro Bacuna going close, but they rarely troubled Yahia Fofana in the Ivorian goal.
Côte d'Ivoire, a goal to the good and needing only to see out the result, were content to keep the ball and let Curaçao chase. It was a disciplined, unhurried performance, and it should have been two before the twenty-minute mark when Amad Diallo scuffed another Diomande cross wide. The second goal eventually came in the 64th minute, and it was a fine one. Ibrahim Sangaré threaded a wonderful pass through to Pépé, who advanced on goal and stroked a left-footed finish into the top corner to put the result beyond doubt.
The victory confirmed Côte d'Ivoire's second-place finish in Group E behind Germany and set up a Round of 32 meeting with the runner-up of Group I. For Curaçao, the final whistle signaled the end of a debut campaign that captured hearts well beyond the Caribbean. Dick Advocaat's side finished bottom of the group on a single point, but they had scored, competed, and refused to be embarrassed against far more established nations. Their fairytale was over, yet they left Philadelphia having proven they belonged.
[Photography by Trey Madara]
