Ivory Coast advances to knockout round of a Football World Cup for the first time

Statistically, Curaçao stood compact at the back, but appeared too rarely in front of the Ivory Coast's goal. Goal-scoring chances were scarce in the first half. Only after the break did the Ivorians intensify their pressing and thus force the decision.

Pépé decides the match

Half an hour before the final whistle, the preliminary decision fell: Sangaré set up Nicolas Pépé in central midfield, who scored his first goal with a well-placed finish. A few minutes later, the striker completed his brace and made it 2:0 (64th minute). The resistance of the underdog was broken.

For the Ivory Coast, it is the provisional highlight of a tournament campaign that had already delivered the first historic World Cup point in the association's history after a 0:0 in the second group match against Ecuador. After the draw against the South American representative came the most valuable success to date.

Historic moment for Ivorian football

Coaches reacted with great relief immediately after the final whistle. Within the ranks of the team, the historic character of the evening was emphasized, while at the same time attention turned to the next round. Curaçao, on the other hand, is eliminated after the group stage, but can look back on a World Cup premiere with a respectable result.

The tournament, which is also seen by observers with regard to the European top leagues such as France's Ligue 1 or Spain's La Liga as a benchmark for the form of African national teams, has reached another milestone with the Ivory Coast's advancement. The further knockout matches are ahead.

The success against Curaçao also underscores the growing importance of the African association on the international stage. For the first time, an Ivorian team stands in the round of the last 16 – and the self-confidence for the upcoming tasks has grown.