Curacao vs Ivory Coast LIVE
The Ivory Coast played their way into the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the first time by beating tournament debutants Curacao 2-0 on Thursday evening. Nicolas Pepe, once a big-money signing for Arsenal, rose to the occasion, scoring both goals for his country on either side of the half-time break. He tapped hom from Yan Diomande’s cross with just seven minutes of the match played, before curling a smart finish home in the second half.
The result brings to an end to Curacao’s debut World Cup campaign, and it has not gone entirely to plan, with nine goals conceded and one scored. There were emotional scenes at the full-time whistle as players and staff commiserated with one another as the curtain fell on a fairytale journey.
Up the road in New York, Ecuador stunned Germany with a 2-1 win to confirm their own place in the next round of the competition, with that surprise result quelling any potential of a progression for Curacao. Follow the action LIVE below with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog, complete with expert insight and analysis.
Curacao vs Ivory Coast latest news
- GOAL! Pepe gets Ivory Coast up and running
FULL-TIME: Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast
22:58 , Arthur Ferridge
The Ivory Coast go through, the Blue Wave go home.
Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast
22:53 , Arthur Ferridge
We are into six minutes of added time.
Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast
22:50 , Arthur Ferridge
88mins: Curacao are into the final minutes of their World Cup campaign, but are pushing to at least end on a goal.
Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast
22:38 , Arthur Ferridge
75mins: Just a quarter of an hour remaining, now, and Curacao look set to exit this tournament with a whimper.
Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast
22:29 , Arthur Ferridge
67mins: Three changes after the goal for the Ivory Coast. Diomande, Bonny and Pepe are replaced by Toure, Diakite, and Wahi.
GOAL! Curacao 0-2 Ivory Coast | Pepe '64
22:25 , Arthur Ferridge
Nicolas Pepe gets his brace! He curls a tidy finish beyond the outstretched hand of Eloy Room.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
22:17 , Arthur Ferridge
55mins: Floranus lets fly from distance, but puts just a little too much power behind it and misses over the bar.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
22:14 , Arthur Ferridge
53mins: Kessie does well to work a shooting angle, but his effort is blocked by his own team-mate Yan Diomande and goes out for a goal kick.
2ND HALF: Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
22:07 , Arthur Ferridge
Back underway!
HALF-TIME: Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:51 , Arthur Ferridge
And that takes us to the break!
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:50 , Arthur Ferridge
45+3mins: Curacao are handed two corners to end the half, but neither comes to anything. The second presents an opportunity to launch a long-throw, which is cleared all too easily.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:46 , Arthur Ferridge
There will be four added minutes here.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:45 , Arthur Ferridge
44mins: The Curacao captain Bacuna makes a superb jinking run into the area and has a sight of goal, but puts his shot wide of the mark.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:43 , Arthur Ferridge
42mins: Curacao break after an Ivory Coast corner but Pepe has the pace to track back with Chong, and the move quickly breaks down.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:40 , Arthur Ferridge
39mins: Chong lets fly from about 30 yards, but his effort flies over the bar.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:39 , Arthur Ferridge
36mins: Ivory Coast are pushing hard to double their lead before the break, and Diomande is still pulling the strings. He has put two more tidy crosses into the box in the last couple mintues, though neither has quite come off.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:32 , Arthur Ferridge
31mins: Fofana takes a tumble as he rises highest to claim a Curacao long throw, and will require some treatment.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:31 , Arthur Ferridge
30mins: Curacao earn a corner which is delivered by Bacuna, but Kossouno gets rid with ease.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:27 , Arthur Ferridge
26mins: We are back underway and Gaari is fine to continue.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:24 , Arthur Ferridge
23mins: Diallo looses a venomous shot at the Curacao goal and Gaari catches the full force of it in the face. Smart block, but he appears to be feeling the effects of it. That will sting, and he will be treated during the hydration break.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:19 , Arthur Ferridge
18mins: Diomande is looking really lively here. He races down the left flank again and cuts a rapid cross back to Diallo, who just misreads it and fails to steer it goalwards.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:15 , Arthur Ferridge
14mins: CLOSE! Gaari shoots from range, but just pulls his shot wide of the left post.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:14 , Arthur Ferridge
13mins: Curacao nick the ball and make a rare foray forward, but Bacuna is closed down and dispossessed almost immediately. Not much joy for the minnows thus far.
Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast
21:11 , Arthur Ferridge
9mins: And Diallo nearly makes it two! A whipped shot from the edge of the box threatens to sneak in, but flashes wide.
There has been a pair of early goals in New York, by the way, with Ecuador and Germany already level at a goal apiece!
GOAL! Curacao 0-1 Ivory Coast | Pepe '7
21:07 , Arthur Ferridge
Ivory Coast take the lead! Diomande makes a dancing run down the left flank and works his way into the box before squaring for Pepe to tap home.
Curacao 0-0 Ivory Coast
21:06 , Arthur Ferridge
5mins: Ivory Coast have had just about all the possession in these opening few minutes. A very passive approach indeed from Curacao.
Curacao 0-0 Ivory Coast
21:03 , Arthur Ferridge
2mins: Ivory Coast’s first attacking movement comes as a long ball is hoofed up to Bonny but overcooked, and Room gets his first touch of the day.
Curacao race down the other end and a speculative shot is sent down the throat of Fofana, who makes a routine parry.
KICK-OFF! Curacao 0-0 Ivory Coast
21:01 , Arthur Ferridge
We are underway!
Here we go...
20:54 , Arthur Ferridge
Time for the anthems!
Team news reminder
20:45 , Arthur Ferridge
With 15 minutes to kick-off, a reminder of today’s starting XIs.
Curacao XI: Room, Gaari, Floranus, Obispo, Brenet, Fonville, J. Bacuna, Comenencia, L. Bacuna, Chong, Locadia
Ivory Coast XI: Fofana, O. Diomande, Kossounou, Operi, Doue, Kessie, Sangare, Bonny, Y. Diomande, Diallo, Pepe
Views from the terraces
20:37 , Arthur Ferridge
Yeah, the Philadelphia Stadium has decent views, but it's no Craven Cottage, is it?
Form guide
20:33 , Arthur Ferridge
Despite picking up their first-ever World Cup point last time out by holding Ecuador to a goalless draw, Curacao come into this match winless in six.
Their last match win came in the form of a 7-0 rout of Bermuda in November of last year.
Best in class?
20:30 , Arthur Ferridge
No player has recorded more dribbles per 90 minutes played in this World Cup than Curacao’s Tahith Chong, with 5.1.
But in second place with exactly five is the Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo.
Diomande transfer latest
20:27 , Arthur Ferridge
Much has been made of Yan Diomande’s future this summer, with Liverpool said to be keen to sign the Leipzig and Ivory Coast man.
But what’s the latest? Per the Daily Mail, Liverpool remain fully confident of getting a deal done this summer.
It will cost them, though. The latest reported asking price is an eye-watering €130m (£112m), though it remains to be seen whether that fee is matched.
Weather forecast
20:19 , Arthur Ferridge
The last match this stadium hosted pitted France against Iraq and also staged the first weather delay of the World Cup.
The match was suspended for nearly two hours due to a lightning storm, but no such scenes are expected today. It is warm and dry in Philadelphia, and due to stay that way.
Dick Advocaat lifts lid on Curacao game plan
20:17 , Arthur Ferridge
"This will probably be the first match in which we are the favourites. [He laughs] It's going to be a tough game.
"We've already shown against Ecuador what we can do -- that we don't just defend, but also pick the right moments to attack. And we're going to do that again tomorrow.”
Emerse Fae: Ivory Coast deserve to play in round of 32
20:07 , Arthur Ferridge
The Ivory Coast have never reached the knockout rounds of a World Cup. Emerse Fae hopes to change that today.
"I think the key is our ability to show the same seriousness, the same mindset, the same intensity that we showed against Ecuador and Germany.
“I think that if we respect our opponent and perform well in these different areas I just mentioned, I think we'll have a chance of qualifying for the round of 32.”
Ivory Coast team news
19:57 , Arthur Ferridge
Emerse Fae has named what is arguably his strongest front three for this match, with Nicolas Pepe coming in to the team alongside Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande.
Wilfried Singo makes the bench despite going off injured against Germany.
Frank Kessie was their scorer in that match. Can he repeat the trick today?
Curacao team news
19:47 , Arthur Ferridge
Eloy Room made himself the man of the moment with his record-equalling 15 saves against Ecuador last time out. He now shares the honour of most saves in a World Cup match with Tim Howard.
Tahith Chong has been a mainstay in this tournament and keeps his place, with ex-Rangers man Juninho Bacuna joining him in the XI.
IVORY COAST CONFIRMED TEAM NEWS
19:37 , Arthur Ferridge
Ivory Coast XI: Fofana, O. Diomande, Kossounou, Operi, Doue, Kessie, Sangare, Bonny, Y. Diomande, Diallo, Pepe
Subs: Kone, Lafont, Konan, Singo, Agbadou, Ndicka, Seri, S. Fofana, Guiagon, Oulai, Adingra, Wahi, Diakite, Guessand, Toure
CURACAO CONFIRMED TEAM NEWS
19:36 , Arthur Ferridge
Curacao XI: Room, Gaari, Floranus, Obispo, Brenet, Fonville, J. Bacuna, Comenencia, L. Bacuna, Chong, Locadia
Subs: Bodak, Doornbusch, Sambo, Eijma, Bazoer, Roemeratoe, Martha, Felida, Antonisse, Hansen, Noslin, Gorre, Margaritha, Kuwas, Kastaneer
Ivory Coast predicted XI
19:25 , Arthur Ferridge
Ivory Coast predicted XI (4-3-3): Fofana; Doue, Ndicka, Agbadou, Konan; Kessie, Sangare, Fofana; Diallo, Guessand, Diomande
Injured: Singo
Results so far
19:15 , Arthur Ferridge
Curacao and the Ivory Coast have played two matches apiece at this tournament. Here’s how they’ve fared.
MD1
Germany 7-1 Curacao
Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador
MD2
Ecuador 0-0 Curacao
Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast
Standard Sport prediction
19:05 , Arthur Ferridge
Without a win Curacao are definitely out of their first World Cup, so Advocaat’s team have to go for it against the Ivorians.
Ivory Coast could top the group with a heavy win combined with a Germany loss to Ecuador, but should progress with a victory or draw.
A loss for Emerse Fae’s side would be disastrous though, so they cannot afford to be complacent.
We still think his team will be too strong.
Ivory Coast to win, 3-1.
Ivory Coast early team news
18:55 , Arthur Ferridge
After their opening win and narrow Germany loss, the Ivorians have put themselves in a decent position to progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
To do it, they will need Liverpool-bound Yan Diomande and Manchester United’s Amad Diallo to step up, as a win and big goal difference could see them top the group.
Captain Frank Kessie scored against Germany, but his main job is to marshal the midfield and prevent Curacao any openings.
Ivory Coast squad: Yahia Fofana, Mohamed Koné, Alban Lafont, Emmanuel Agbadou, Clément Akpa, Ousmane Diomande, Guela Doué, Ghislain Konan, Odilon Kossounou, Evan Ndicka, Wilfried Singo, Seko Fofana, Parfait Guiagon, Christ Inao Oulaï, Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Jean-Michaël Seri. Simon Adingra, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Amad Diallo, Oumar Diakité, Yan Diomande, Evann Guessand, Nicolas Pépé, Bazoumana Touré, Elye Wahi
Curacao early team news
18:45 , Arthur Ferridge
Curacao now boast a World Cup record-holder: Eloy Room made 15 saves against Ecuador - the joint-most by a goalkeeper in the tournament’s history.
If he makes another 15 against the Ivorians his nation will have a good chance of winning.
Former Manchester United youngster Tahith Chong is Curacao’s posterboy, alongside the Bacuna brothers Juninho and Leandro - all of whom are Dutch-born.
The majority of Curacao’s squad are Dutch-born, reflecting the two countries’ colonial ties.
Curacao squad: Tyrick Bodak, Trevor Doornbusch, Eloy Room, Riechedly Bazoer, Joshua Brenet, Roshon Van Eijma, Sherel Floranus, Deveron Fonville, Jurien Gaari, Armando Obispo, Shurandy Sambo, Juninho Bacuna, Leandro Bacuna, Livano Comenencia, Kevin Felida, Ar'Jany Martha, Tyrese Noslin, Godfried Roemeratoe, Jeremy Antonisse, Tahith Chong, Kenji Gorré, Sontje Hansen, Gervane Kastaneer, Brandley Kuwas, Jurgen Locadia, Jearl Margaritha.
How to watch Curacao vs Ivory Coast
18:35 , Arthur Ferridge
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on ITV1, with coverage starting at 8.50pm BST.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via ITVX app or the channel’s website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with ITVX app and their websites.
Good evening
18:23 , Arthur Ferridge
Hello, and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Curacao vs Ivory Coast at the World Cup!
Both sides can still progress or go home today. How will things shake out in Philadelphia?
All will be revealed! Stick with us for all the latest news and minute-by-minute updates from kick-off, which is pencilled in for 9pm BST.
