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Hello to a packed night of Football League as well as continental soccer fixtures. Our focus includes key Championship encounters and those pivotal final pool matches in this Africa Cup of Nations competition.

Opening Notes

Hello everyone. Welcome to the arguably the penultimate football clockwatch of the year. We have an extensive Football League programme, kicking off with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 6pm, while we’ll also be keeping at least a third of an eye on both night games from Group A at this Afcon: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Mali facing Comoros.

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 Morocco (7pm)

Championship

• Coventry versus Ipswich (18:00)
• The Foxes v Derby
• Boro versus Hull
• The Lions v Bristol City
• The Red Dragons versus North End

Third Tier Fixture

• The Bluebirds v Boro

Latest Lineup Updates

Ipswich at Coventry Confirmed Lineups

The early game, between the teams who are first and third in the Championship, promises to be a thriller. Here are the starting elevens.

Coventry (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; the right-back, the centre-back, Kitching, Brau; Torp, Grimes; the winger, the attacking midfielder, Mason-Clark; the striker.

Subs: Wilson, the midfielder, the forward, the defender, Bidwell, the defender, Eccles, Perry, Andrews.

Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Walton; the defender, O’Shea, the defender, the left-back; Matusiwa, the midfielder; the attacker, the playmaker, the winger; Azon.

Substitutes: Palmer, the defender, Johnson, Humphreys, the midfielder, Burns, the forward, Philogene-Bidace, Akpom.

The official Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria).

Afcon 2025: First Group Scenarios

Look, it’s complicated. That's often the case when some but not all third-place sides progress. This is the current state ahead of this evening's final round of matches.

• The Atlas Lions 4 points, +2 goal difference
• Mali 2 points, 0 goal difference (goals scored 2)
• Zambia 2pts, GD0 (with 1 goal for)
• Comoros 1 point, GD-2

In short, Morocco is likely safe but will want to beat Zambia to top the group. Zambia probably need at least a point against Morocco. Comoros probably need to beat Mali, who should advance if they get a draw.

Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.

Angola v Egypt Latest

The denouement of Group B at the continental championship is being covered. If you don’t want to know the score, avoid following that coverage.

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