Ivory Coast beat Curaçao 2-0 at Lincoln Financial Field, with Nicolas Pépé deciding the match through a goal in each half. The winger struck in the 7th minute and again in the 64th, giving his side a lead they never looked likely to surrender. Curaçao had moments of pressure, but Ivory Coast handled the key moments better.
Coming into this World Cup fixture on June 25, 2026, both sides knew the margin for error was slim. Ivory Coast brought more experience and more balance through midfield, while Curaçao looked to use pace and direct play through Jürgen Locadia and Juninho Bacuna. However, the opening stages quickly tilted toward the visitors.
Ivory Coast needed only seven minutes to draw first blood. Yan Diomande slipped the ball into Nicolas Pépé, and the forward finished calmly to silence the Curaçao support. Pépé then picked up a yellow card in the 35th minute, but Curaçao could not turn that into momentum before the break.
After halftime, Curaçao tried to push higher up the pitch, but Ivory Coast stayed compact and broke lines with patient passing. The decisive second goal arrived in the 64th minute, when Ibrahim Sangaré fed Pépé for a smart finish that made it 2-0. Meanwhile, the visitors made a series 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 away win. Curaçao actually finished with more total shots, 11 to 7, but only two were on target, compared with three for Ivory Coast. Possession also favored the visitors, who held 63%, while Curaçao worked harder off the ball with 11 fouls, two yellow cards, and four corners.
For Curaçao, the result leaves them needing a quick response if they want to keep pace in the World Cup group race. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, will take confidence from a professional performance built on early control and efficient finishing. With Pépé in sharp form and Sangaré dictating play, they look well placed to build on this result in their next outing.
