MUNDIAL·26

First Stage · Group E · Thursday, June 25 · Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia · 68,324 in the stands

kickoff 16:00 local · 30°C · 38% humidity

Curaçao

0:2

Côte d'Ivoire

7′ Nicolas PEPE (pen)

64′ Nicolas PEPE (pen)

tap a player for their match file

Curaçao5-4-1
Côte d'Ivoire4-2-3-1
Eloy ROOM5.9Jurien GAARI6.2Sherel FLORANUS6.0Armando OBISPO6.6Joshua BRENET5.0Deveron FONVILLE6.4Juninho BACUNA6.2Livano COMENENCIA6.8Leandro BACUNA6.7Tahith CHONG6.9Juergen LOCADIA6.7Yahia FOFANA7.6Ousmane DIOMANDE7.2Odilon KOSSOUNOU6.9Christopher OPERI6.7Guela DOUE6.3Franck KESSIE6.5Ibrahim SANGARE7.1Ange-Yoan BONNY6.9Yan DIOMANDE7.9Amad DIALLO6.7Nicolas PEPE8.4
from the bench

match pulse — xG per 5 minutes · goals · cards

45′90′CUWCIV

goals — hover the strip for every shot and card, with names

  • 7′Pepe0.43 xG
  • 64′Pepe0.13 xG
CUW 0:0 CIV0'kickoff
2' Chong — xG 0.04 · Saved7' Pepe — xG 0.43 · Goal10' Diallo — xG 0.04 · Missed14' Gaari — xG 0.02 · Missed18' Diallo — xG 0.20 · Missed23' Diallo — xG 0.13 · Missed40' Chong — xG 0.02 · Missed44' Bacuna — xG 0.02 · Missed45 + 3' Gaari — xG 0.04 · Blocked53' Kessié — xG 0.12 · Blocked55' Floranus — xG 0.07 · Missed64' Pepe — xG 0.13 · Goal74' Chong — xG 0.01 · Saved79' Bacuna — xG 0.10 · Missed79' Bacuna — xG 0.08 · Missed89' E. Wahi — xG 0.26 · Saved90 + 2' Kastaneer — xG 0.04 · Missed90 + 3' Antonisse — xG 0.05 · Blocked90 + 3' Antonisse — xG 0.09 · Blocked

▶ Watch every shot in 3D⟲ Replay the match

The xG race — cumulative expected goals, minute by minute

CUW 0:0 CIV
0.51.00′15′30′45′60′75′90′7' Pepe — GOAL64' Pepe — GOAL0.581.31

On paper vs as played — formation sheet vs heatmap reality

CUW 5-4-1 attack →, ← CIV 4-2-3-1 attack. The teamsheet, as announced.

1Eloy ROOMEloy ROOM3Jurien GAARIJurien GAARI5Sherel FLORANUSSherel FLORANUS18Armando OBISPOArmando OBISPO20Joshua BRENETJoshua BRENET24Deveron FONVILLEDeveron FONVILLE7Juninho BACUNAJuninho BACUNA8Livano COMENENCIALivano COMENENCIA10Leandro BACUNALeandro BACUNA21Tahith CHONGTahith CHONG9Juergen LOCADIAJuergen LOCADIA1Yahia FOFANAYahia FOFANA2Ousmane DIOMANDEOusmane DIOMANDE7Odilon KOSSOUNOUOdilon KOSSOUNOU13Christopher OPERIChristopher OPERI17Guela DOUEGuela DOUE8Franck KESSIEFranck KESSIE18Ibrahim SANGAREIbrahim SANGARE9Ange-Yoan BONNYAnge-Yoan BONNY11Yan DIOMANDEYan DIOMANDE15Amad DIALLOAmad DIALLO19Nicolas PEPENicolas PEPE

The duel — team data, FIFA tracking included

38%
Possession
55%
0.66
Expected goals
0.93
41
Threat
59
11
Shots
7
2
On target
3
312
Passes completed
574
43
Forced turnovers
44
18.1s
Ball recovery time
16.7s
5.18
High-press phases
4.32
6
Fouls committed
11
2
Offsides
1
106 km
Distance covered
106 km
34.0 km/h
Top speed
34.6 km/h

Territory — where each team lived

Every player's heatmap, minutes-weighted and stacked per team. Curaçao attack →, ← Côte d'Ivoire attack. Brighter is more presence; where the colors meet is the contested ground.

How it happened

  1. 7′Nicolas PEPE (Côte d'Ivoire) scores!!
  2. 34′Nicolas PEPE (Côte d'Ivoire) is booked by the referee.
  3. ′Before the second half begins Christ Inao OULAI (in) comes off the bench to replace Amad DIALLO (out) (Côte d'Ivoire)
  4. 61′Jeremy ANTONISSE (in) comes off the bench to replace Livano COMENENCIA (out) (Curaçao)
  5. 64′Nicolas PEPE (Côte d'Ivoire) scores!!
  6. 67′Elye WAHI (in) comes off the bench to replace Nicolas PEPE (out) (Côte d'Ivoire)
  7. 67′Bazoumana TOURE (in) comes off the bench to replace Yan DIOMANDE (out) (Côte d'Ivoire)
  8. 67′Oumar DIAKITE (in) comes off the bench to replace Ange-Yoan BONNY (out) (Côte d'Ivoire)
  9. 75′Juninho BACUNA (Curaçao) is booked by the referee.
  10. 77′Gervane KASTANEER (in) comes off the bench to replace Jurien GAARI (out) (Curaçao)
  11. 77′Tyrese NOSLIN (in) comes off the bench to replace Deveron FONVILLE (out) (Curaçao)
  12. 77′Jean Michael SERI (in) comes off the bench to replace Franck KESSIE (out) (Côte d'Ivoire)
  13. 83′Gervane KASTANEER (Curaçao) is booked by the referee.
  14. 90′Shurandy SAMBO (in) comes off the bench to replace Joshua BRENET (out) (Curaçao)
  15. 90′Brandley KUWAS (in) comes off the bench to replace Juergen LOCADIA (out) (Curaçao)

The morning-after column · AI-written from the match data

Pépé's Precision Ends Curaçao's Pressure

Côte d'Ivoire arrived with possession and purpose, holding 55% of the ball from a measured 4-2-3-1 formation that controlled tempo. Curaçao pushed high with five-back, four-mid aggression, attempting 5.2 high-press phases to disrupt play, but their 38% possession told the real story. An early goal at the seventh minute—decisive and clinical—shifted the entire burden onto the hosts. By the time a second arrived in the 64th minute, the match had become a procession, with Côte d'Ivoire managing without strain.

The numbers explain it. Curaçao took 11 shots but only two found the target—a wastefulness that proved terminal against ruthless opposition. Côte d'Ivoire's three on-target efforts included two conversions, the second at 0.13 xG showing ruthless efficiency. Nicolas Pépé (8.4 rating) and Yan Diomande (7.9) were composed throughout. Curaçao's slower ball recovery time (18.1 seconds versus 16.7) exposed their reactive defending. Côte d'Ivoire squandered big chances at the 18th and 89th minutes; their margin for error barely dented the outcome.

Curaçao fired 11 shots yielding two on target and nothing; Côte d'Ivoire's measured seven shots (three on target, two goals) proved decisively superior.

7′

Early goal from Côte d'Ivoire shifted Curaçao from probing hosts into desperate pursuers.

What Curaçao needed

Pressure without precision and slow transitions proved insufficient.

  • Eleven shots, two on target (18%)—conversion rate catastrophic against clinical opponents.
  • Ball recovery time 18.1s vs 16.7s exposed reactive, vulnerable defending.
  • Five-defender shape limited attack; possession deficit (38%) meant defending consumed every ounce of energy.

What Côte d'Ivoire needed

Possession control and clinical finishing overwhelmed Curaçao's aggression.

  • 67% conversion on on-target shots (2 from 3) vastly outpaced Curaçao's zero from two.
  • 55% possession enabled midfield control; faster recovery (16.7s) prevented defensive collapse.
  • Missed big chances at 18' and 89'—efficiency survived wasteful spells, room for tightness.