NICOLAS Pepe’s brace sealed Cote d’Ivoire’s first trip to the World Cup knockout phase with a 2-0 victory over Curacao on Thursday night to finish second in Group E.
Curacao became the eighth team eliminated from the tournament, a fate that arrived later than many anticipated after the Caribbean country became the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Cote d’Ivoire were third in their group in their three previous World Cup appearances from 2006-2014 and will face the second-place team in Group I, France or Norway, on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas in the round of 32.
After failing to score in five World Cup qualifying appearances and not being included in manager Emerse Fae’s recent Africa Cup of Nations squad, Pepe was not an obvious candidate to play hero.
But he took both goals exceptionally well for his first tallies in a competitive international fixture since October 2024.
The first came through the latest in a continuous string of threatening moves from 19-year-old Yan Diomande, who alertly pounced on a Curacao error trying to play out of the back and spotted Pepe charging to the near post.
Diomande laid the ball back from the byline, and Pepe hammered a low first-time finish through goalkeeper Eloy Room from close range.
With plenty of sun and temperatures hovering in the mid 80s Fahrenheit, the game appeared to be slowing before Pepe finished off an incisive second for the Africans.
Ibrahim Sangare spotted Pepe’s run into the box with a perfect, line-splitting through ball and Pepe curled his finish from 10 metres inside the left post.
Although it was a deserved Ivorian victory, Curacao had their moments in possibly their last game managed by 78-year-old Dutchman Dick Advocaat, who was taking charge of his third World Cup side.
In the 44th minute, Leandro Bacuna sliced through three defenders into the left half of the penalty area but sent his effort low and wide of the near post, and after the interval Sherel Floranus found space but fired narrowly over the bar.
Amad Diallo, Ivory Coast’s first goalscorer in the tournament, departed at halftime, though it was unclear if this was due to injury.
In the other group match, an increasingly desperate Ecuador stunned Germany 2-1 in their to drag their World Cup campaign out of the flames and qualify for a place in the last 32.
Needing a win — or a miracle — to keep their hopes alive, the South Americans suffered the worst possible start when already-qualified Germany struck in the second minute, with Leroy Sane opening his account at a major international tournament in his 15th appearance at one.
Ecuador had failed to score in this tournament despite 39 previous attempts, but finally broke their duck with their 40th shot when Nilson Angulo curled the ball beyond Manuel Neuer to spark wild celebrations among the sea of yellow in the stands.
Gonzalo Plata then bundled home the winner with 13 minutes remaining to complete Ecuador’s stirring comeback as their fans erupted with joy at the sold-out New York/New Jersey stadium
Already assured of qualification as group winners, Germany finished top with six points, ahead Cote d’Ivoire on goal difference after the African side beat Curacao 2-0. Ecuador have qualified as one of the best eight third-placed teams.
Germany had been chasing a third win from three Group E matches and a 12th successive victory, but their defensive vulnerabilities were exposed again and they have now conceded in all three group matches.
Germany started explosively, with Sane finishing left-footed from just inside the area in the second minute after Florian Wirtz cleverly found his teammate after a quick throw-in.
Ecuador protested that Aleksandar Pavlovic had caught Pedro Vite in the head with a raised foot in the build-up, but referee Tori Penso allowed the goal to stand.
Ecuador, who had arrived under pressure after a defeat by Cote d’Ivoire and draw with Curacao, responded swiftly. Angulo curled thee ball into the net from the edge of the box in the ninth minute, with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer slow to react.
The second half began with more controversy when Penso awarded Germany a penalty after Felix Nmecha played in Kai Havertz, who appeared to be tripped by Joel Ordonez.
After a VAR review, however, the referee overturned the decision for a Germany foul in the build-up.
Clear chances were then limited until Plata struck in the 78th minute, reacting quickest after substitute Kevin Rodriguez flicked on a corner at the near post and stabbing the ball past Neuer to send the stadium into uproar.
Reuters
