Ivory Coast's Nicolas Pepe (19) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Ivory Coast's Nicolas Pepe (19) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Ivory Coast's Nicolas Pepe (19) and Curaçao's Deveron Fonville (24) fight for the ball during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Fans do the wave during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Curaçao's Tahith Chong (21) runs on the pitch during the World Cup Group E soccer match between Curacao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ivory Coast got goals from Nicolas Pépé in each half and advanced to the World Cup knockout round for the first time in the West African team’s history with a 2-0 victory over Curaçao on Thursday.
Les Éléphants have crashed the party and made it out of their group for the first time in four World Cup appearances.
Ivory Coast in its tournament opener — at the same Philadelphia stadium as Thursday’s game — and lost to Germany in its Group E second game.
Ivory Coast will play June 30 against either France or Norway — whichever is the runner-up in Group I.
Curaçao needed to win and instead failed to become the smallest nation to qualify for the knockout stages.
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The Associated Press
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