Typical England. Taking it to the wire at tournaments has become a national speciality and now Gareth Southgate’s young side must do it the hard way.

A win against South Korea would have secured England’s place in the third place play-off but, after being held to a tense 1-1 draw in Aubagne, their fate in the Toulon Tournament will now not be decided until Friday’s final Group B game against Colombia.

This was the kind of contest you will have seen England involved in many times before. They began brightly and looked comfortable only to be checked by defensive failings before staging a late rally. It was little wonder, then, Gareth Southgate sported a rueful smile as he caught his breath afterwards.

‘We would rather be through and have it all done and dusted,’ said Southgate. ‘But it’s not a bad experience for our boys to go into the game against Colombia with something resting on the game.

If a slow start left England on the back foot when they faced Brazil on Monday, the opposite was true here as they took the lead within 123 seconds when Cauley Woodrow latched onto a ball from Brighton’s Jake Forster-Caskey and kept his nerve to clip his finish past Kim Dong Jun.

For some reason, they failed build from that platform. Woodrow couldn’t keep his feet when Nathaniel Chalobah ushered him in moments later and from there South Korea held sway.

Tactically efficient, energetic and organised, South Korea pushed England back and dominated possession in midfield but they were restricted to two long-range shot from Ryu Seung Woo — one which whizzed over the bar, the other was well saved by Jonathon Bond.

England were happy to see half-time and emerged to start the second period brightly, creating chances when Michael Keane headed Luke Gabutt’s corner wide and substitute Solly March shot straight at Dong Jun from 20 yards.

Yet South Korea would not go away and Chang Min Lee hauled them level when he swept in a drive from outside the area after they broke away following a slip by Brighton’s Jake Forster-Caskey.

That gave South Korea renewed impetus and Lee almost doubled his tally in the 65th minute with an overhead kick that fizzed just wide. England were rolling at this stage — not even Brazil made them so uncomfortable — but, to Southgate’s relief, they recovered their composure.

Woodrow almost won it late on but Dong Jun hooked his header off the line — ‘I thought it was in,’ said the Fulham striker — meaning final day tension beckons. England couldn’t have it any other way.

‘The lads are frustrated but it’s about the bigger picture,’ said Southgate. ‘We need to try beat Colombia — there is no point playing for the draw.’

—Daily Mail