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Welcome to the full night of Football League and international soccer action. The spotlight falls on important Championship clashes plus those pivotal final group matches in this Africa Cup of Nations competition.

Opening Notes

Greetings to all. You are welcome to the arguably this penultimate soccer clockwatch of 2025. We have an extensive EFL programme, kicking off with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 6pm, and we will also monitor a close watch on both night fixtures from Group A at this Afcon: Zambia against the hosts Morocco and Mali facing Comoros.

We'll be focussing on the following fixtures, with 19:45 kick-offs unless stated.

Afcon 2025

• The Coelacanths versus The Eagles (19:00)
• The Copper Bullets versus The Atlas Lions (7pm)

Championship

• Coventry versus Ipswich (18:00)
• The Foxes v The Rams
• Middlesbrough v Hull
• Millwall versus The Robins
• The Red Dragons v North End

League One

• Cardiff v Boro

Recent Team News

Coventry v Ipswich Team News

The evening's opener, between the teams who are top and third in the second tier, looks like a thriller. Here are the two XIs.

Coventry (a 4-2-3-1 formation) The goalkeeper; the right-back, Woolfenden, the defender, the left-back; the midfielder, the captain; Sakamoto, the attacking midfielder, the forward; the striker.

Subs: Wilson, Allen, Simms, the defender, Bidwell, the defender, Eccles, Perry, the player.

Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, Greaves; Matusiwa, the midfielder; Walle, the playmaker, Jack Clarke; Azon.

Subs: The goalkeeper, the defender, Johnson, Humphreys, the midfielder, the winger, McAteer, the attacker, the striker.

Referee Backhouse (Cumbria).

Africa Cup of Nations: First Group Scenarios

Look, it’s complicated. It always is when some but not all third-placed teams qualify. This is the current state before tonight’s final set of matches.

• Morocco 4 points, +2 goal difference
• Mali 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 2)
• Zambia 2pts, 0 goal difference (goals scored 1)
• The Coelacanths 1 point, GD-2

Briefly, Morocco is likely safe though they will aim to beat their opponents and top the group. Zambia probably need at least a point versus the hosts. Comoros likely need to overcome Mali, who should advance if they get a draw.

Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.

Egypt's Match with Angola Update

The denouement to the second group at this continental championship has coverage elsewhere. For those wishing to remain unaware, it's best not to seek out that information.

Second Tier Standings Overview

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