The Sky Blues v The Tractor Boys, The Foxes versus Derby, and Additional EFL Action Updates
Welcome for a full evening of Football League and international football fixtures. Our focus includes important second-tier matches and those crucial last pool games in the Afcon tournament.
Preamble
Greetings to all. Welcome to the arguably the second-to-last soccer live blog of 2025. We have a full EFL slate, kicking off with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 18:00, while we’ll also be keeping a close watch on both evening games from the first group at the Africa Cup of Nations: Zambia against the hosts Morocco and Comoros v Mali.
Our primary attention will be on these fixtures, with 7.45pm start times except where noted.
Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures
- Comoros v Mali (7pm)
- The Copper Bullets versus The Atlas Lions (19:00)
Championship
- The Sky Blues v Ipswich (6pm)
- The Foxes v The Rams
- Boro versus Hull
- Millwall v The Robins
- Wrexham versus Preston
Third Tier Fixture
- The Bluebirds versus Boro
Recent Team News
Coventry v Ipswich Team News
The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting first and third in the Championship, looks like a cracker. These are the confirmed lineups.
Coventry (4-2-3-1) The goalkeeper; the right-back, Woolfenden, Kitching, the left-back; the midfielder, Grimes; Sakamoto, the attacking midfielder, the forward; Wright.
Subs: The backup keeper, Allen, the forward, Kesler-Hayden, Bidwell, the defender, Eccles, Perry, the player.
Ipswich (4-2-3-1) The shot-stopper; Furlong, the centre-half, Kipre, the left-back; the midfielder, Taylor; Walle, the playmaker, the winger; Azon.
Substitutes: The goalkeeper, Young, Johnson, the defender, the midfielder, Burns, McAteer, Philogene-Bidace, Akpom.
Referee Anthony Backhouse (from Cumbria).
Afcon 2025: Group A Scenarios
The situation is complex. It always is where only some third-placed teams qualify. This is the current state ahead of this evening's last round of matches.
- The Atlas Lions 4 points, GD+2
- Mali 2 points, GD0 (with 2 goals for)
- Zambia 2pts, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- The Coelacanths 1 point, GD-2
To summarize, Morocco is likely safe but will want to beat Zambia and win the group. Zambia likely requires at least a point versus Morocco. The island nation likely must to overcome their rivals, who should advance if they get a draw.
Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.
Egypt's Match with Angola Latest
The final act to Group B at this Africa Cup of Nations has coverage elsewhere. If you don’t want to know the score, avoid following that coverage.
Championship Standings Snapshot
| 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 |
