Curaçao 0-2 Ivory Coast — World Cup: Recap, Highlights & Reactions

Full time

Ivory Coast finally broke their World Cup group stage curse, and it only took seven minutes to start the party.

The Elephants secured their first-ever World Cup knockout berth with a clinical 2-0 win over history-makers Curaçao in Philadelphia.

After three failed campaigns, Ivory Coast are finally going to the . was the hero, converting 's low cross in the 7th minute before adding a gorgeous curler to seal the win. Curaçao fought bravely, with even rattling the crossbar, but the smallest nation to ever play in a World Cup couldn't find another miracle. The loss sends Curaçao home, but can still retire with his head held high after a historic run.

— and get this

Polymarket bettors nailed this one early, pricing Curaçao's group-stage elimination at a locked-in 100% by the final whistle.

's opening goal in the 7th minute is the fastest World Cup goal in Ivory Coast's history, beating Yaya Touré's 14th-minute strike from 2010.

Pépé is also just the second Ivorian to ever score a brace in a World Cup match, matching Aruna Dindane's feat against Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.

This was Ivory Coast's first-ever World Cup match against a CONCACAF opponent, ending their long-standing group stage hoodoo.