Pépé Brace Sends Côte d'Ivoire Into First World Cup Knockout Round

Côte d'Ivoire beat Curaçao 2–0 at Philadelphia Stadium to reach the World Cup knockout stages for the first time. Nicolas Pépé tapped in Yan Diomande's cutback inside seven minutes and curled into the top corner from Ibrahim Sangaré's pass in the 64th minute, securing Les Éléphants' place in the last 32 as Group E runners-up behind Germany.

Emerse Faé's side controlled the contest with 63% possession, seven shots and three on target to Curaçao's 11 and two in front of 68,324 fans. Pépé was booked in the first half before being substituted three minutes after his second goal, while Juninho Bacuna and Gervane Kastaneer saw yellow for Curaçao. Goalkeeper Eloy Room, heroic in the 0–0 draw with Ecuador, could not repeat the feat against a sharper Ivorian attack.

Côte d'Ivoire finish Group E on six points and will face the Group I runners-up — France or Norway — in the round of 32 in Dallas on 30 June. Curaçao end their debut World Cup campaign bottom of the group with one point from a draw with Ecuador, while Ecuador's win over Germany later in the evening sent La Tri through as a best third-placed team.