Ivory Coast advanced to the World Cup last 32 for the first time in their history with a 2-0 victory over Curacao. Nicolas Pepe, formerly of Arsenal, scored both goals, in the 7th and 62nd minutes, securing the win for the Elephants. This result places Ivory Coast second in Group E, behind Germany, due to a head-to-head advantage. Curacao, the smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup, finished bottom of the group without a win, ending their tournament run. Ivory Coast’s historic achievement follows a win against Ecuador and a loss to Germany in the group stage. They will face either France or Norway in the next round, a challenging matchup considering many Ivorian players were born in France. The match, played in Philadelphia, drew a crowd of 68,324, demonstrating growing World Cup enthusiasm in the United States.