Elliot Embleton – England U20s 1-1 Ivory Coast (Young Lions win 5-3 on penalties)
Elliot Embleton scored England’s second penalty in a dramatic shootout victory to successfully defend their Toulon crown over Ivory Coast on Saturday.
The 18-year-old played a starring role in a deep lying position for Neil Dewsnip’s side, joining Jordan Pickford and Duncan Watmore as the third player in two seasons to win the Toulon Tournament.
Ending the new-look 12-team edition in the south of France as top scorers, this is the third occasion the Young Lions have retained the trophy, having won four times in five years in the 1990s.
Head coach Dewsnip chose to make only one change to the starting XI that beat Scotland comfortably in the semi-final two days ago, George Hirst replacing Ike Ugbo in the England attack.
The first threatening chance fell to the Ivorians as Ake Arnaud Loba put his overhead kick over the bar from a corner in the tenth minute. Seconds later David Brooks had a half-volley that went just an inch wide.
Brooks, voted Player of the Tournament, made his next effort count, firing in superbly as England countered through Harvey Barnes.
The Young Lions had a great opportunity to double their lead just before the break. Brooks was once again pivotal, winning the ball after pressing the defence high up the field and was then fouled in the box. Hirst stepped up to take the penalty, but his low effort was saved.
Ivory Coast nearly equalised in the first minute of the second half, Jean Thiery Lazare Amani curling his effort just wide of Ryan Schofield’s far post.
Just before the hour mark and Schofield pulled off a great save to keep out Jean Philippe Krasso’s powerful shot.
England looked set to hold out for victory until substitute Juvenal Junior Agnero was fouled in the box by Josh Grant. Loba stepped up and slotted the penalty away to give the tie another twist – a penalty shootout would decide the winner.
England scored all five spot-kicks through Ugbo, Embleton, Barnes, Callum Slattery and Ronaldo Vieira to secure the win, as Amani had Ivory Coast’s fourth penalty saved.
After the game the England side were presented with the Fair Play award amongst other personal accolades that included; Best Player: Brooks, Second-Best Player: Joe Worrall and Best Young Player: Reece James, while Barnes and Hirst were joint top-scorers with four goals apiece.
Well done, Young Lions!
