Coventry versus The Tractor Boys, Leicester versus The Rams, along with Additional Football Action Updates
Welcome for the packed evening of Football League as well as continental soccer action. Our focus includes important Championship clashes and those crucial last group matches in this Afcon competition.
Introduction
Greetings to all. Welcome to the reportedly this second-to-last football live blog of 2025. There’s an extensive EFL schedule, starting with Coventry v Ipswich at 18:00, and we’ll also be keeping at least a third of an eye on the two evening games from the first group at this Afcon: Zambia against the hosts Morocco and Comoros v Mali.
We'll be focussing on these matches, all 19:45 kick-offs unless stated.
Afcon 2025
- Comoros v Mali (7pm)
- Zambia v The Atlas Lions (19:00)
Second Division Matches
- Coventry versus The Tractor Boys (18:00)
- The Foxes v The Rams
- Middlesbrough v The Tigers
- The Lions v Bristol City
- The Red Dragons v Preston
League One
- The Bluebirds v Stevenage
Latest Lineup Updates
Coventry v Ipswich Team News
The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting top and third in the Championship, looks like a cracker. Here are the starting elevens.
Coventry City (4-2-3-1) The goalkeeper; the right-back, the centre-back, Kitching, the left-back; the midfielder, Grimes; Sakamoto, the attacking midfielder, the forward; Wright.
Substitutes: The backup keeper, Allen, Simms, the defender, the full-back, the defender, Eccles, Perry, Andrews.
Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, the left-back; Matusiwa, the midfielder; the attacker, the playmaker, the winger; the centre-forward.
Substitutes: The goalkeeper, Young, the midfielder, the defender, Cajuste, Burns, the forward, the attacker, Akpom.
Referee Anthony Backhouse (from Cumbria).
Africa Cup of Nations: First Group Permutations
The situation is complex. That's often the case when some but not all third-place teams progress. Here’s how things look before tonight’s final set of games.
- The Atlas Lions 4 points, GD+2
- The Eagles 2 points, GD0 (goals scored 2)
- The Copper Bullets 2 points, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- Comoros 1 point, GD-2
In short, Morocco are probably fine but will want to defeat Zambia to top the group. Zambia probably need a draw or better versus Morocco. Comoros likely must to beat Mali, who should advance with a point.
Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.
Angola v Egypt Update
The final act of the second group at the Africa Cup of Nations has coverage elsewhere. To avoid spoilers, don’t click the link.
Championship 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 |
