Ivory Coast beat Curaçao 2-0 at Lincoln Financial Field, with Nicolas Pépé deciding the game with a goal in each half. The winger struck in the 7th minute and again in the 64th to give his side a lead they never looked like relinquishing. Curaçao had moments of pressure, but Ivory Coast handled the key moments better.
Coming into this World Cup match on June 25, 2026, both sides knew the margin for error was slim. Ivory Coast brought more experience and more balance in midfield, while Curaçao tried to use pace and direct play through Jürgen Locadia and Juninho Bacuna. However, the early stages quickly tilted towards the visitors.
Ivory Coast needed just seven minutes to draw the first blood. Yan Diomande played the ball to Nicolas Pépé, and the striker finished calmly to silence the Curaçao support. Pépé then received a yellow card in the 35th minute, but Curaçao could not turn it into momentum before the break.
After the break, Curaçao tried to get higher up the pitch, but Ivory Coast stayed compact and broke lines with patient passing. The decisive second goal came in the 64th minute, when Ibrahim Sangaré fed Pépé with a smart finish that made it 2-0. Meanwhile, the visitors made a number of changes to manage the tempo, while Curaçao introduced Jeremy Antonisse, Gervane Kastaneer and Tyrese Noslin to chase the game.
The numbers told the story of a competitive but controlled win away from home. Curaçao finished with more total shots, 11 to 7, but only two were on target, compared to Ivory Coast’s three. Possession also favored the visitors, who had 63%, while Curaçao worked harder with the ball with 11 fouls, two yellow cards and four corners.
For Curaçao, the result means they need a quick response if they want to keep pace in the World Cup group race. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, will take the confidence of a professional performance based on early control and efficient finishing. With Pépé in fine form and Sangaré dictating the game, they look well placed to capitalize on this result in their next outing.
