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Welcome to the packed night of Football League as well as international soccer action. Our focus includes key second-tier encounters and those pivotal last group games in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Opening Notes

Hello everyone. You are welcome to what is checks writing desk rota this penultimate football clockwatch of the year. There’s a full EFL programme, kicking off with Coventry v Ipswich at 18:00, and we’ll also be keeping at least a third of an eye on both night games from Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations: Morocco hosting Zambia and Comoros v Mali.

We'll be focussing on these fixtures, with 7.45pm start times except where noted.

Afcon 2025

• Comoros v Mali (7pm)
• The Copper Bullets versus The Atlas Lions (7pm)

Second Division Matches

• The Sky Blues v The Tractor Boys (6pm)
• The Foxes v The Rams
• Boro versus Hull
• The Lions v The Robins
• Wrexham v North End

Third Tier Fixture

• The Bluebirds v Boro

Recent Team News

Ipswich at Coventry Confirmed Lineups

The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting first and third in the second tier, could be a thriller. These are the two XIs.

Coventry City (a 4-2-3-1 formation) Rushworth; the right-back, the centre-back, the defender, the left-back; Torp, Grimes; Sakamoto, Rudoni, the forward; Wright.

Subs: The backup keeper, Allen, the forward, the defender, the full-back, Latibeaudiere, Eccles, the youngster, the player.

Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Walton; the defender, O’Shea, Kipre, the left-back; Matusiwa, Taylor; Walle, the playmaker, Jack Clarke; the centre-forward.

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

Referee Anthony Backhouse (from Cumbria).

Afcon 2025: Group A Permutations

It's a tricky picture. That's often the case where only some third-place teams progress. This is the current state ahead of this evening's final set of matches.

• The Atlas Lions 4pts, +2 goal difference
• Mali 2 points, GD0 (with 2 goals for)
• Zambia 2 points, GD0 (goals scored 1)
• Comoros 1 point, -2 goal difference

In short, Morocco is likely safe though they will aim to defeat their opponents to top the group. Zambia probably need at least a point against the hosts. Comoros probably need to beat their rivals, who will probably be okay with a point.

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous.

Angola v Egypt Latest

The denouement of the second group at this continental championship has coverage elsewhere. To avoid spoilers, avoid following that coverage.

Championship 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