England Defeat Ivory Coast on Penalties to Win 2017 Toulon Tournament Final

England won the 2017 Toulon Tournament final on Saturday as they beat Ivory Coast 5-3 on penalties at the Stade de Lattre in Aubagne, France, after the matched finished 1-1.

David Brooks put the Young Lions ahead in the first half, but George Hirst failed to double their lead when he missed a penalty. 

Ake Arnaud Loba grabbed a deserved and dramatic late equaliser through an 82nd-minute penalty to prompt a shootout, but after Jean Thierry Amani became the first player to blink, Ronaldo Vieira sealed the win with an emphatic effort. 

Ivory Coast enjoyed the better of the early exchanges, and Loba twice came close, forcing a save from Ryan Schofield with a header before sending a sensational overhead kick from the resulting corner narrowly over the bar.

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The Young Lions quickly grew into the match, though, and after Brooks volleyed a high ball just wide of the post, he gave his side the lead.

Harvey Barnes slipped him through on the left, and he lashed home a venomous finish into the roof of the net, per the Daily Mail's Sam Cunningham:

Edgard Dakoi almost replied soon after when he caught out Schofield after a poor clearance from the goalkeeper, but he shot just over from 25 yards.

England should have doubled their tally on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot.

Ivorian 'keeper El Hadj Moustapha Dante gave away the ball to Brooks before Ulrich Meleke fouled him in an attempt to recover, but the stopper made amends by making a good save from Hirst's resulting penalty.

Amani curled just wide shortly after the break as Ivory Coast came out with intent in the second half.

The Elephants continued to mount pressure on England as they sat back in defence of their lead, and Schofield made two good stops to deny Jean-Philippe Krasso and Juvenal Junior Agnero.

Agnero came close once again with a header, but Schofield was again equal to it as he got down well to keep it out.

The Young Lions looked to have seen out the match, but Josh Grant slid in on Agnero in the dying moments of normal time and failed to win the ball.

Loba dispatched the spot-kick to force a penalty shootout, per Cunningham:

Seven players scored before Schofield stopped Amani's poor effort with his feet, and Vieira stepped up admirably to rifle home the winning spot-kick for England to defend their title.