Coventry against Ipswich, Leicester v The Rams, along with Additional EFL Action Updates
Welcome to a full evening of EFL as well as continental football fixtures. The spotlight falls on key Championship matches and those pivotal last pool games in the Afcon tournament.
Opening Notes
Oh, hi folks. Welcome to the reportedly the second-to-last soccer live blog of 2025. There’s an extensive EFL programme, kicking off with Coventry v Ipswich at 18:00, and we will also monitor a close watch on both night fixtures from the first group at this Afcon: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Comoros v Mali.
We'll be focussing on these games, all 7.45pm kick-offs except where noted.
Afcon 2025
- The Coelacanths v Mali (19:00)
- The Copper Bullets versus The Atlas Lions (7pm)
Championship
- Coventry v The Tractor Boys (18:00)
- Leicester versus The Rams
- Middlesbrough versus Hull
- The Lions v The Robins
- Wrexham versus Preston
League One
- The Bluebirds versus Boro
Recent Team News
Ipswich at Coventry Confirmed Lineups
The evening's opener, between the teams who are top and third in the Championship, promises to be an exciting match. Here are the confirmed lineups.
Coventry (a 4-2-3-1 formation) The goalkeeper; van Ewijk, Woolfenden, Kitching, the left-back; the midfielder, Grimes; Sakamoto, the attacking midfielder, Mason-Clark; the striker.
Subs: The backup keeper, the midfielder, the forward, the defender, the full-back, Latibeaudiere, the midfielder, the youngster, the player.
Ipswich (a 4-2-3-1 setup) Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, the defender, Greaves; the midfielder, Taylor; the attacker, Nunez, the winger; Azon.
Substitutes: The goalkeeper, Young, Johnson, Humphreys, the midfielder, the winger, the forward, Philogene-Bidace, the striker.
Referee Anthony Backhouse (from Cumbria).
Africa Cup of Nations: First Group Scenarios
Look, it’s complicated. It always is where only some third-placed sides qualify. This is the current state ahead of this evening's final round of games.
- The Atlas Lions 4pts, +2 goal difference
- Mali 2 points, GD0 (goals scored 2)
- Zambia 2 points, GD0 (goals scored 1)
- The Coelacanths 1pt, -2 goal difference
Briefly, Morocco is likely safe though they will aim to defeat their opponents and win the group. Zambia probably need at least a point against the hosts. The island nation probably must to beat Mali, who will probably be okay with a point.
A host of potential results and permutations.
Egypt's Match with Angola Latest
The final act of Group B at this Africa Cup of Nations has coverage elsewhere. For those wishing to remain unaware, 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 |
