Pepe Brace Sends Ivory Coast into World Cup Knockouts for First

A draw would have been enough for Ivory Coast to secure a place in the knockout stage, but they made sure of qualification in style with a 2-0 victory over Curaçao in their final Group E match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Inspired by a brace from Nicolas Pépé, the African side advanced to the Round of 32 for the first time in their World Cup history, while Curaçao bowed out of the tournament.
At Philadelphia Stadium in the United States, Pépé scored once in each half to seal a comfortable victory.
The former Arsenal winger opened the scoring in the seventh minute, giving Ivory Coast an early lead they carried into the halftime break.
Needing just a point to progress, Ivory Coast made the perfect start. After Curaçao's defenders failed to clear their lines, Yann Diomandé capitalised on the loose ball and cut it back from the byline. Pépé, positioned six yards from goal, calmly swept home with his first touch.
Pépé doubled the advantage in the 64th minute after latching onto an excellent through ball from Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré. The forward curled a superb right-footed effort into the far corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance and putting the result beyond doubt.
The victory ensured Ivory Coast's place in the knockout rounds, marking a historic milestone for the Elephants on the global stage. Meanwhile, Curaçao's World Cup campaign came to an end with defeat.
 MMR