Pepe’s brace sends Ivory Coast to first knockouts as Curacao exit World Cup

Ivory Coast Advances to World Cup Knockout Phase with 2-0 Win Over Curacao

The Ivory Coast has secured a spot in the World Cup knockout phase for the first time in their history, defeating Curacao 2-0 in their Group E finale. Nicolas Pepe scored both goals for the Ivorians, including a double that sealed their second-place finish with six points.

In the match played at Arlington, Texas, Curacao became the eighth team eliminated from the tournament, following their debut appearance last November. The Blue Wave had several chances to score but were unable to capitalize on them.

Pepe’s goals came in the seventh and 64th minutes of the game. In the first goal, he scored after a pass from Yan Diomande, who had spotted Pepe charging towards the near post. The second goal was scored after a through-ball from Ibrahim Sangare, which allowed Pepe to curl his finish past the goalkeeper.

Curacao’s Leandro Bacuna and Sherel Floranus both had scoring opportunities but were unable to find the back of the net. The Ivorians’ victory marked their first World Cup knockout phase appearance in their history, while Curacao’s elimination was a surprise given their recent qualification for the tournament.

The Ivory Coast will face the second-place finisher between France and Norway in Group I on Tuesday.

Source: Al Jazeera