Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe bags a brace as Ivory Coast beat Curacao to reach World Cup knockout stage for first time ever
Nicolas Pepe scored two goals to lead Ivory Coast to a historic 2-0 victory over Curacao, securing the team's first-ever spot in the World Cup knockout stages. The win marks a significant turnaround for the team and for Pepe, who has struggled with his club career in recent years.
Why it matters
This victory represents a major milestone for Ivorian football, overcoming a long-standing inability to progress past the group stages in major tournaments.
Nicolas Pepe proved to be the hero as Ivory Coast finally ended their World Cup group stage hoodoo with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Curacao. The former Arsenal winger rose to the occasion in Philadelphia to secure his nation's place in the last 32. It marks a historic milestone for the Elephants, who had never previously progressed beyond the opening round of the tournament.
The article is a standard sports report focusing on match results and player performance.
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