The Sky Blues versus The Tractor Boys, Leicester versus The Rams, along with Additional Football Action Previews
Welcome to the full evening of EFL and international football action. Our focus includes key second-tier matches and the pivotal final group games in this Afcon competition.
Preamble
Greetings to all. You are welcome to the arguably this second-to-last football clockwatch of 2025. There’s a full EFL programme, starting with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 18:00, while we will also monitor a close watch on both evening games from the first group at the Afcon: Zambia against the hosts Morocco as well as Comoros v Mali.
We'll be focussing on the following matches, all 7.45pm kick-offs unless stated.
Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures
- Comoros versus The Eagles (19:00)
- Zambia versus Morocco (19:00)
Second Division Matches
- Coventry v The Tractor Boys (18:00)
- Leicester v Derby
- Boro v Hull
- The Lions v The Robins
- The Red Dragons versus Preston
Third Tier Fixture
- The Bluebirds versus Stevenage
Recent Team News
Coventry v Ipswich Team News
The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting top and third in the Championship, could be a thriller. These are the starting elevens.
Coventry City (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; the right-back, the centre-back, the defender, Brau; Torp, Grimes; the winger, the attacking midfielder, the forward; Wright.
Substitutes: The backup keeper, Allen, the forward, Kesler-Hayden, the full-back, the defender, the midfielder, the youngster, Andrews.
Ipswich (4-2-3-1) The shot-stopper; Furlong, the centre-half, Kipre, the left-back; the midfielder, Taylor; the attacker, Nunez, the winger; Azon.
Substitutes: Palmer, Young, the midfielder, the defender, Cajuste, Burns, the forward, the attacker, Akpom.
Referee Backhouse (Cumbria).
Afcon 2025: First Group Scenarios
Look, it’s complicated. It always is when some but not all third-placed sides progress. This is the current state ahead of this evening's final round of games.
- Morocco 4pts, GD+2
- Mali 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 2)
- Zambia 2 points, GD0 (goals scored 1)
- The Coelacanths 1 point, -2 goal difference
To summarize, Morocco are probably fine but will want to defeat Zambia to win their pool. Zambia probably need a draw or better versus Morocco. Comoros probably must to overcome Mali, who will probably be okay with a draw.
Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous.
Egypt's Match with Angola Update
The denouement of the second group at the continental championship has coverage elsewhere. If you don’t want to know the score, don’t click the link.
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 |