Coventry versus The Tractor Boys, The Foxes v Derby, along with Additional EFL Action Updates
Hello for a busy night of EFL as well as continental soccer action. Our focus includes major second-tier matches and those crucial last pool matches in the Africa Cup of Nations competition.
Opening Notes
Hello everyone. You are welcome to what is arguably this penultimate soccer clockwatch of 2025. There’s an extensive Football League slate, kicking off with Coventry v Ipswich at 18:00, and we’ll also be keeping a close watch on both night fixtures from the first group at this Africa Cup of Nations: Zambia against the hosts Morocco as well as Comoros v Mali.
We'll be focussing on the following games, all 19:45 kick-offs unless stated.
Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures
- Comoros versus Mali (7pm)
- Zambia versus Morocco (19:00)
Championship
- Coventry v The Tractor Boys (6pm)
- Leicester versus The Rams
- Middlesbrough versus Hull
- The Lions v The Robins
- Wrexham versus Preston
League One
- Cardiff versus Stevenage
Recent Team News
Ipswich at Coventry Confirmed Lineups
The evening's opener, between the teams who are first and third in the second tier, could be an exciting match. Here are the two XIs.
Coventry (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; the right-back, the centre-back, Kitching, Brau; the midfielder, the captain; the winger, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Wright.
Substitutes: Wilson, Allen, the forward, the defender, the full-back, the defender, the midfielder, Perry, the player.
Ipswich Town (a 4-2-3-1 setup) The shot-stopper; Furlong, O’Shea, the defender, the left-back; Matusiwa, the midfielder; the attacker, Nunez, the winger; the centre-forward.
Subs: Palmer, Young, the midfielder, the defender, the midfielder, Burns, McAteer, the attacker, the striker.
Referee Backhouse (from Cumbria).
Afcon 2025: First Group Scenarios
Look, it’s complicated. It always is when some but not all third-placed sides qualify. Here’s how things look ahead of this evening's final set of games.
- The Atlas Lions 4pts, GD+2
- The Eagles 2pts, 0 goal difference (with 2 goals for)
- Zambia 2 points, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- Comoros 1 point, -2 goal difference
In short, Morocco are probably fine though they will aim to defeat Zambia and win their pool. Zambia probably need a draw or better versus Morocco. The island nation probably must to beat their rivals, who will probably be okay 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 Africa Cup of Nations is being covered. If you don’t want to know the score, avoid following that coverage.
Second Tier Table 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 |
