Curaçao 0-2 Cote d’Ivoire: Pepe 7, 64
So this is it then for Curaçao, their first World Cup campaign. It started against Germany, where they conceded first and then scored that memorable equaliser, before being put to the sword afterwards.
Their first – and only – point came in a goalless draw with Ecuador, and they arrived at this game against Ivory Coast needing a win to progress to the knockouts. It was not to be found and it was instead the Ivorians who secured a place in the World Cup knockout stage for the first time after Nicolas Pepe’s double.
The west Africans put themselves in a really good position with their victory over Ecuador in their first game, so even a draw would have been enough to make the next round here. They struggled to impress for most of the game but did enough to dispatch their spirited opponents.
Pepe struck early to set the tone and added a second after half time to end any lingering doubt. It means that Ivory Coast will play in the last 32 where they will meet either France or Norway.
Curaçao were guilty of damning themselves when they gifted possession away just outside their own penalty area with seven minutes played. Yan Diomande capitalised and drove into the left side of the box before squaring for Pepe, who was lightning-quick to sweep first time beyond Eloy Room from the edge of the six-yard box.
« 𝙅’𝙖𝙞 𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙥’𝙨 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙋𝙚́𝙥𝙚́ » 🎵@Nicolaspepe1919 pic.twitter.com/WGcmiDiJtN
— Équipe Nationale de Football Cote d’Ivoire 🇨🇮🐘 (@equipenatciv) June 25, 2026
Ivory Coast enjoyed most of the possession as the game continued but they failed to create sufficient threats. Curaçao themselves had a few promising moments in the attacking third but their moves broke down and there was too little to be seen from a side led by Tahith Chong. The Ivorian goalkeeper Yahia Fofana did not make a save until the dying minutes of the game.
The tie was decided in the second half when Ibrahim Sangare spotted Pepe’s run just after the hour and played a perfectly weighted pass into space. The Villarreal forward collected it in stride before curling beyond Room and into the far corner to complete his brace.
