The Sky Blues versus Ipswich, Leicester versus Derby, and More EFL League Previews
Hello for a busy evening of EFL and continental soccer fixtures. We'll be covering major Championship matches and the crucial final group games in the Afcon tournament.
Preamble
Hello everyone. You are welcome to the reportedly this penultimate football clockwatch of the year. There’s an extensive Football League programme, starting with Coventry v Ipswich at 18:00, and we’ll also be keeping at least a third of an eye on the two night games from Group A at the Afcon: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Mali facing Comoros.
We'll be focussing on these games, all 19:45 kick-offs except where noted.
Afcon 2025
- Comoros v The Eagles (7pm)
- The Copper Bullets v The Atlas Lions (19:00)
Second Division Matches
- Coventry v The Tractor Boys (18:00)
- Leicester v The Rams
- Boro versus Hull
- The Lions versus Bristol City
- Wrexham versus North End
League One
- Cardiff versus Stevenage
Latest Lineup Updates
Ipswich at Coventry Team News
The early game, featuring the sides sitting top and third in the second tier, looks like a thriller. Here are the starting elevens.
Coventry (4-2-3-1) The goalkeeper; van Ewijk, Woolfenden, the defender, Brau; the midfielder, Grimes; Sakamoto, Rudoni, the forward; Wright.
Substitutes: The backup keeper, Allen, Simms, the defender, the full-back, Latibeaudiere, Eccles, the youngster, Andrews.
Ipswich (4-2-3-1) The shot-stopper; the defender, the centre-half, the defender, Greaves; the midfielder, the midfielder; the attacker, Nunez, Jack Clarke; the centre-forward.
Subs: Palmer, the defender, the midfielder, the defender, the midfielder, Burns, the forward, Philogene-Bidace, Akpom.
Referee Anthony Backhouse (from Cumbria).
Africa Cup of Nations: Group A Scenarios
It's a tricky picture. That's often the case when some but not all third-placed teams progress. Here’s how things look before tonight’s last round of games.
- Morocco 4 points, +2 goal difference
- The Eagles 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 2)
- Zambia 2pts, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- The Coelacanths 1pt, GD-2
Briefly, Morocco are probably fine though they will aim to defeat their opponents and top the group. Zambia probably need a draw or better against the hosts. The island nation likely need to beat their rivals, who should advance with a draw.
A host of potential results and permutations.
Egypt's Match with Angola Update
The final act to the second group at the Africa Cup of Nations has coverage elsewhere. 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 |
