5 hours ago
16
Key events
79 min: Curaçao have a free kick in a great position as the recente substitute Noslin draws a foul. the delivery is a good one but a header is over the bar.
77 min: J Bacuna gets a yellow for a foul on Oulai, Côte d’Ivoire take the free kick quickly but they are patient once again and so down play. Some great game mamagement from the team.
75 min: Chong is on the move once again, he cuts in on the inside and looks to pass but decides to shoot himself. Fofana makes a loose save, Curaçao still fighting.
73 min: Kári Tulinius has got in touch and said:
Côte d’Ivoire have so many different ways to score. Most national sides are fairly predictable in attack, but the Elephants aren’t. Two other teams at the tournament that share that same quality are France and Norway, one of which will probably meet them in the round of 32. That could be a very entertaining match.
Absolutely and to think they have not been playing at their best today too proves they will give France or Norway a great match.
71 min: We are back underway, 20 minutes to go here.
68 min: Wahi, Toure and Diakite are all on for Côte d’Ivoire as they look to see out this game. The second hydration break is here.
67 min: Côte d’Ivoire have never reached the knockout stage of a World Cup before, that goal may have sealed history for them.
That will be devastating for Curaçao. They had been on top but Côte d’Ivoire get Pepe in a great position and the finish again is beautiful. Surely that is the game wrapped up now.
GOAL! Curaçao 0-2 Côte d’Ivoir (Pepe 64)
It’s him again.
64 min: A long ball searches for Antonisse but it has a bit too much power on it and Fofana collects.
62 min: Doue makes a great break down the right but Fornville marshalls him well to send Côte d’Ivoire back to the halfway line. Curaçao make their first change with Antonisse on for Comenencia.
60 min: End-to-end football sees action every which way but Côte d’Ivoire are the side to have the next best chance but Diomande is dispossessed.
58 min: Curaçao have a real pep in their step after that chance but their momentum is well handled by Côte d’Ivoire.
56 min: Curaçao build well and Floranus gets a shot away and it is just over the bar.
55 min: A reminder that a draw or a win for Côte d’Ivoire will be enough to see them through.
53 min: Kessie takes a few too many touches and his eventual shot is then deflected wide for a corner. Pepe pops it in but it is cleared well.
51 min: Fran Burke is in the stadium and has said:
I’m sitting across from the press box here, just catching up on your coverage. Chong could do with some more support on those runs of his but he is having a good game.
Chong is without doubt Curaçao’s best player in this fixture and you are not wrong, some support would do them wonders. L Bacuna was coming into the game more towards the end of the first half but in this second 45 they are yet to show what they can do.
49 min: The pace of this half has not really got going yet.
47 min: The commentators are suggesting Diallo may be injured but that has not been confirmed and he seemed absolutely fine at the end of the first half. I think it was just a tactical change.
Back underway: Curaçao 0-1 Côte d’Ivoire
Here comes the second half, can Côte d’Ivoire maintain their lead? Or can Curaçao cause an upset? All to come.Côte d’Ivoire has made a change with Oulai on for Diallo.
Some half-time reading for you:
In the other game Germany are still drawing 1-1 against Ecuador. There aere some discussions as to if Germany’s goal should have stood as there was a high boot in the build-up.
Half-time: Curaçao 0-1 Côte d’Ivoire
It is Pepe’s goal that is the difference between these two sides so far. Curaçao haave shown hints of what they can do but are yet to make it count on the scoreboard.
45 + 4 min: J Bacuna takes an initial corner but Bonny sees it out and so it is delivered again. The delivery is to the edge of the box but it’s well read and cleared.
45 + 3 min: L Bacuna is amongst most of the action right now and he has been fouled. He is also taking the resulting free kick but the delivery is a little short and it’s cleared.
45 + 1 min: There will be four minutes added.
45 min: That was the chance. Curaçao are building momentum and L Bacuna ends up in a good position but he can’t get it on target. To be fair to him, watching the replay it was a difficult angle to finish from.
44 min: Côte d’Ivoire win a corner as a cross is deflected out. Y Diomande delivers the ball but it’s easily cleared and Chong makes another break. However, a few passes later L Bacuna fouls Bonny and another chance is over.
42 min: Chong intercepts a pass high up but Côte d’Ivoire quickly wrestle it back to save their blushes.
40 min: Curaçao put together a great piece of play but again they lose the ball high up the pitch. It’s becoming a real issue for the side, they definitely could have been on the scoreboard. Curaçao come again, this time from Chong who has been excellent so far, but it’s wide.
38 min: Fouls are coming in left, right and centre now from both sides with Diallo caught by Floranus. Côte d’Ivoire have a free kick as a result but it comes to Room and the chance is gone.
36 min: Chong is fouled by Pepe to let some pressure off of their shoulders, they play it back to Room. The goalkeeper comes out and tries to catch the ball but he’s chased down and he decides to header it clear which almost becomes a howler but it’s safely cleared.
34 min: Côte d’Ivoire continue to dominate, they have had the majority of this game go exactly how they want it to.
