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Greetings for the full evening of EFL and continental football fixtures. Our focus includes key second-tier matches plus those pivotal last group games in this Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Introduction

Hello everyone. Welcome to the arguably this second-to-last soccer live blog of 2025. We have a full EFL programme, starting with Coventry v Ipswich at 6pm, while we will also monitor a close watch on both night games from Group A at this Afcon: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Mali facing Comoros.

We'll be focussing on the following fixtures, with 19:45 start times unless stated.

Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures

• The Coelacanths v Mali (19:00)
• Zambia v The Atlas Lions (19:00)

Second Division Matches

• Coventry versus Ipswich (6pm)
• Leicester versus Derby
• Middlesbrough v The Tigers
• Millwall versus Bristol City
• Wrexham versus North End

League One

• Cardiff v Stevenage

Latest Lineup Updates

Coventry v Ipswich Confirmed Lineups

The early game, between the teams who are top and third in the Championship, could be a thriller. Here are the confirmed lineups.

Coventry City (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; the right-back, Woolfenden, the defender, the left-back; Torp, Grimes; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Wright.

Substitutes: The backup keeper, the midfielder, Simms, the defender, Bidwell, the defender, Eccles, the youngster, Andrews.

Ipswich (a 4-2-3-1 setup) The shot-stopper; Furlong, the centre-half, the defender, the left-back; the midfielder, the midfielder; Walle, the playmaker, the winger; the centre-forward.

Substitutes: Palmer, Young, the midfielder, Humphreys, Cajuste, the winger, the forward, Philogene-Bidace, the striker.

Referee Backhouse (from Cumbria).

Afcon 2025: First Group Scenarios

It's a tricky picture. It always is when some but not all third-place teams qualify. This is the current state ahead of tonight’s last round of matches.

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

To summarize, Morocco are probably fine but will want to defeat their opponents to top the group. Zambia probably need at least a point against Morocco. Comoros likely must to beat their rivals, who will probably be okay if they get a draw.

Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.

Egypt's Match with Angola Update

The final act of Group B at the Africa Cup of Nations is being covered. If you don’t want to know the score, avoid following that coverage.

Second Tier 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