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Welcome to a packed night of EFL and international football fixtures. The spotlight falls on major second-tier encounters plus those crucial last pool matches in this Africa Cup of Nations competition.

Preamble

Oh, hi folks. Welcome to the reportedly the second-to-last football clockwatch of the year. There’s an extensive EFL programme, starting with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 6pm, while we will also monitor at least a third of an eye on the two night games from Group A at this Afcon: Zambia against the hosts Morocco and Comoros v Mali.

We'll be focussing on the following fixtures, with 19:45 kick-offs unless stated.

Afcon 2025

• The Coelacanths v The Eagles (7pm)
• The Copper Bullets versus The Atlas Lions (7pm)

Championship

• Coventry versus Ipswich (6pm)
• Leicester v The Rams
• Boro versus The Tigers
• The Lions versus Bristol City
• Wrexham versus North End

League One

• The Bluebirds v Stevenage

Latest Team News

Coventry v Ipswich Team News

The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting first and third in the second tier, promises to be a cracker. These are the starting elevens.

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

Substitutes: The backup keeper, Allen, the forward, Kesler-Hayden, the full-back, the defender, the midfielder, Perry, the player.

Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1) The shot-stopper; the defender, the centre-half, the defender, Greaves; Matusiwa, Taylor; the attacker, Nunez, Jack Clarke; Azon.

Subs: The goalkeeper, the defender, Johnson, the defender, Cajuste, Burns, McAteer, Philogene-Bidace, Akpom.

Referee Backhouse (from Cumbria).

Afcon 2025: Group A Permutations

The situation is complex. It always is when some but not all third-place sides progress. Here’s how things look before this evening's last round of games.

• The Atlas Lions 4pts, GD+2
• The Eagles 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 2)
• The Copper Bullets 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 1)
• The Coelacanths 1pt, GD-2

To summarize, Morocco are probably fine but will want to defeat their opponents and top their pool. Zambia likely requires a draw or better against Morocco. Comoros probably must to overcome their rivals, who will probably be okay if they get a draw.

Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.

Egypt's Match with Angola Latest

The denouement of Group B at the Africa Cup of Nations has coverage elsewhere. For those wishing to remain unaware, don’t click the link.

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