Nicolas Pepe scored twice as Ivory Coast reached the World Cup knockout stages for the first time with a 2-0 win that eliminated tournament debutants Curacao. Pepe put Ivory Coast ahead in the seventh minute in Philadelphia after Yan Diomande’s cutback, then doubled the lead in the 64th minute after a pass from Ibrahim Sangare, according to Yahoo Sports.
Ivory Coast finished as Group E runners-up and will face either France or Norway in the last 32. Curacao, coached by Dick Advocaat, went out after taking their first World Cup point in a goalless draw with Ecuador.