Ivory Coast secured Group E second place and a spot in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 with six points after a 2-0 victory over Curacao.
The qualification marks a significant accomplishment because the Elephants have qualified for the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in their history.
Curacao's World Cup campaign, meanwhile, came to an end.
Pepe brilliance fires Elephants into last 32
The main man behind the win was Villarreal's Nicolas Pepe. The former Arsenal forward scored a brace to keep Ivory Coast's World Cup dream alive.
Seven minutes into the game, 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande moved the ball into the danger area and set up a well-positioned Pepe to give Ivory Coast the lead.
In the 64th minute, Ibrahim Sangare delivered a perfectly weighted through pass to Pepe before the winger struck the ball into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Eloy Room unable to react.
The two great finishes sealed Ivory Coast's place in the knockout rounds.
The numbers behind the win
The statistics made it clear why Ivory Coast came out on top. The Elephants didn't create a lot of chances against Curacao.
However, the chances produced were of high quality. The expected goals of the African side stood at roughly 1.3 compared to Curacao's 0.5.
Ivory Coast controlled the game with 63 percent possession. This dominance forced Curacao to spend most of the time defending instead of building attacks. The Ivorians also held an edge in set pieces with a six-to-four corner count.
Despite having less possession, Curacao had eleven attempts compared to their opponents' seven. Out of those 11, only two were on target. Ivory Coast, on the other hand, tested the goalkeeper thrice and converted two of those chances.
Curacao committed more fouls overall than Ivory Coast, with the teams recording 11 fouls to six, respectively.
The Caribbean side also picked up both of their bookings in the second half, resulting in a final yellow card tally of two for Curacao and one for Ivory Coast.
Midfield dominance ahead of last 32
Ivory Coast have shown that they are one of Africa's most dangerous teams in the World Cup with their performances against Ecuador, Germany, and Curacao.
In their recent match against Curacao, the midfield dominated the game in every aspect through composure under pressure, passing, and strength.
The Elephants have earned two clean sheets in three games, even though Curacao's attack didn't consistently test Ivory Coast's defence.
A different challenge awaits the Ivorians as they face elite opposition in the Round of 32. Meanwhile, Curacao leaves the tournament with dignity. The Caribbean side has competed in its first-ever World Cup.
In the match against Ivory Coast, the Blue Wave set up in a 5-3-2 formation that frustrated the West African giants. However, they struggled to hold possession and complete passes.
Attempts to launch transitions turned out to be consistently unsuccessful. As a result, Ivory Coast regained control easily.
The result brought different outcomes for both teams. Curacao is out of the World Cup, but they exit with pride because they played with incredible heart and earned everyone's respect in their very first World Cup.
For Ivory Coast, the real tournament starts now. The team is heading into the next round, believing they can do something special.
