The dominant victory sealed by former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe, who grabbed a brace, saw Ivory Coast qualify for their first World Cup knockout appearance.
Pepe’s first goal came early in the match when winger Yan Diomande collected a loose ball on the edge of the Curacao box and sent a low cross into the penalty area.
An onrushing Pepe easily tapped home from close range, giving Ivory Coast a deserved lead and their fastest World Cup goal in the process. Ivory Coast went into the half-time break enjoying a 1-0 lead.
The Elephants scored the second when Ibrahim Sangare opened up Curacao with a fine pass to Pepe on the right, and the forward cut inside onto his left foot and curled a brilliant finish into the far corner, leaving the keeper no chance.
‘Ivory Coast deserves this’
“Pride is the first word that comes to mind. We knew we could do it, and we also knew it was going to be difficult. We did it,” Fae told FIFA.com after the game.
“On top of that, we finished second. We’re happy and proud, but we’re looking even further ahead. We’re going to rest up well for our next match. Ivory Coast deserves this, can enjoy it, and can celebrate tonight.
“They can keep cheering us on so we can go as far as possible.”
By scoring a brace, Pepe became the second player from Ivory Coast to score twice in a World Cup match after Aruna Dindane, who bagged a brace in a 3-2 win over Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.
The Villarreal star also scored his country’s fastest-ever goal in the tournament after just seven minutes of the game. Pepe was named Player of the Match, and after the match, he credited teamwork for his two goals.
Pepe credits hard work for qualification
“It’s a source of pride and joy. We’ve qualified for the knockout stage, so for the people of Ivory Coast, this is a source of pride,” said Pepe.
“My two goals? It’s all thanks to the team. On the first one, Yan (Diomande) did a great job setting me up with the ball. The second was a magnificent pass from Ibra’ (Ibrahim Sangare), and all I had to do was get my foot on it.
“It’s an individual honour, but also a team one. It’s one game at a time. We’re going to try to go as far as possible, we have the players and the quality to do it. We’ll need to stay focused, rest up, and see who we’ll be playing against.”
Fae hailed Pepe for his brace. He said: “Nico knows it, and so do we: he’s a top-class player. He’s one of the players who need to help us win matches in these competitions.
“He has the ability and the experience to do so. Today, he scored two brilliant goals. It’s good for the team, and it’s good for him too.”
The victory confirmed Ivory Coast as Group E runners-up and sent them into the round of 32, where they will face the runners-up from Group I in Dallas on June 30th.
