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Greetings to a packed evening of Football League as well as continental football action. The spotlight falls on key second-tier encounters and those crucial final pool matches in this Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Opening Notes

Greetings to all. Welcome to the checks writing desk rota this penultimate football clockwatch of 2025. There’s an extensive Football League schedule, kicking off with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 6pm, while we will also monitor a close watch on both evening games from Group A at this Afcon: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Comoros v Mali.

We'll be focussing on these matches, with 7.45pm start times except where noted.

Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures

• Comoros v Mali (19:00)
• The Copper Bullets v Morocco (7pm)

Second Division Matches

• Coventry versus The Tractor Boys (6pm)
• Leicester v Derby
• Middlesbrough versus Hull
• Millwall versus Bristol City
• The Red Dragons versus Preston

League One

• Cardiff v Boro

Recent Lineup Updates

Ipswich at Coventry Team News

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

Coventry (4-2-3-1) The goalkeeper; van Ewijk, Woolfenden, the defender, Brau; Torp, the captain; the winger, the attacking midfielder, the forward; the striker.

Subs: The backup keeper, Allen, the forward, Kesler-Hayden, the full-back, Latibeaudiere, the midfielder, Perry, Andrews.

Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1) Walton; the defender, O’Shea, the defender, the left-back; the midfielder, Taylor; Walle, Nunez, the winger; the centre-forward.

Substitutes: The goalkeeper, the defender, Johnson, the defender, the midfielder, Burns, McAteer, Philogene-Bidace, the striker.

The official Backhouse (Cumbria).

Afcon 2025: Group A Permutations

Look, it’s complicated. It always is where only some third-placed teams progress. Here’s how things look ahead of this evening's last round of games.

• The Atlas Lions 4 points, GD+2
• Mali 2 points, 0 goal difference (with 2 goals for)
• The Copper Bullets 2 points, 0 goal difference (goals scored 1)
• The Coelacanths 1 point, -2 goal difference

Briefly, Morocco are probably fine but will want to defeat their opponents and win their pool. Zambia likely requires at least a point against the hosts. Comoros likely need to overcome Mali, who will probably be okay with a draw.

A host of potential results and permutations.

Egypt's Match with Angola Latest

The denouement of the second group at the continental championship is being covered. For those wishing to remain unaware, 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