The Sky Blues against The Tractor Boys, Leicester against The Rams, along with More Football Action Previews
Hello for a packed evening of Football League as well as international soccer fixtures. Our focus includes key Championship matches plus those pivotal final pool games in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Introduction
Hello everyone. You are welcome to what is reportedly the penultimate soccer clockwatch of the year. There’s an extensive EFL slate, starting with Coventry v Ipswich at 6pm, while we will also monitor at least a third of an eye on both night fixtures from Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Mali facing Comoros.
We'll be focussing on the following games, with 19:45 start times except where noted.
Afcon 2025
- The Coelacanths v Mali (7pm)
- Zambia v The Atlas Lions (7pm)
Championship
- Coventry v The Tractor Boys (18:00)
- The Foxes versus Derby
- Middlesbrough versus The Tigers
- Millwall versus The Robins
- The Red Dragons v Preston
Third Tier Fixture
- The Bluebirds versus Boro
Latest Team News
Coventry v Ipswich Team News
The evening's opener, between the teams who are top and third in the Championship, could be an exciting match. These are the two XIs.
Coventry (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; the right-back, Woolfenden, the defender, Brau; Torp, the captain; the winger, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Wright.
Subs: The backup keeper, the midfielder, the forward, the defender, the full-back, the defender, Eccles, Perry, the player.
Ipswich Town (a 4-2-3-1 setup) The shot-stopper; Furlong, O’Shea, the defender, Greaves; the midfielder, Taylor; the attacker, the playmaker, Jack Clarke; the centre-forward.
Subs: Palmer, the defender, Johnson, the defender, the midfielder, the winger, McAteer, Philogene-Bidace, the striker.
The official Backhouse (Cumbria).
Afcon 2025: Group A Permutations
The situation is complex. That's often the case where only some third-placed sides qualify. Here’s how things look ahead of tonight’s last set of matches.
- Morocco 4pts, +2 goal difference
- Mali 2pts, 0 goal difference (goals scored 2)
- The Copper Bullets 2 points, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- The Coelacanths 1 point, GD-2
Briefly, Morocco are probably fine but will want to beat Zambia and win the group. Zambia probably need at least a point against the hosts. The island nation likely need to overcome Mali, who will probably be okay if they get a draw.
Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous.
Angola v Egypt Update
The final act to the second group at this continental championship has coverage elsewhere. To avoid spoilers, it's best not to seek out that information.
Second Tier Table Snapshot
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 23 | 31 | 51 |
| 2 | Middlesbrough | 23 | 9 | 43 |
| 3 | Ipswich | 23 | 15 | 38 |
| 4 | Hull | 23 | 2 | 38 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 23 | 7 | 37 |
| 6 | Bristol City | 23 | 7 | 36 |
| 7 | Millwall | 23 | -6 | 36 |
| 8 | Watford | 23 | 4 | 35 |
| 9 | QPR | 23 | -2 | 35 |
| 10 | Stoke | 23 | 7 | 34 |
| 11 | Derby | 23 | 1 | 32 |
| 12 | Southampton | 23 | 4 | 31 |
| 13 | Wrexham | 23 | 2 | 31 |
| 14 | Leicester | 23 | -1 | 31 |
| 15 | Birmingham | 23 | 1 | 30 |
| 16 | West Brom | 23 | -5 | 28 |
| 17 | Charlton | 22 | -6 | 27 |
| 18 | Blackburn | 22 | -4 | 26 |
| 19 | Sheff Utd | 23 | -5 | 26 |
| 20 | Swansea | 23 | -7 | 26 |
| 21 | Oxford Utd | 23 | -8 | 22 |
| 22 | Portsmouth | 22 | -10 | 22 |
| 23 | Norwich | 23 | -9 | 21 |
| 24 | Sheff Wed | 22 | -27 | -8 |
