The Sky Blues against Ipswich, Leicester v The Rams, and More Football Action Updates

Welcome to the busy evening of Football League and continental football fixtures. We'll be covering important Championship encounters and the crucial final group games in this Afcon tournament.

Preamble

Oh, hi folks. You are welcome to what is arguably the second-to-last football live blog of 2025. We have an extensive EFL schedule, kicking off with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 6pm, and we will also monitor at least a third of an eye on both evening fixtures from Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations: Morocco hosting Zambia and Comoros v Mali.

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

Afcon 2025

• Comoros versus The Eagles (7pm)
• Zambia v The Atlas Lions (19:00)

Championship

• The Sky Blues v The Tractor Boys (6pm)
• The Foxes v The Rams
• Middlesbrough versus Hull
• Millwall versus The Robins
• The Red Dragons versus Preston

Third Tier Fixture

• Cardiff v Stevenage

Recent Team News

Coventry v Ipswich Team News

The early game, featuring the sides sitting top and third in the second tier, looks like a thriller. Here are the two XIs.

Coventry (4-2-3-1) The goalkeeper; the right-back, the centre-back, the defender, the left-back; Torp, Grimes; the winger, Rudoni, the forward; the striker.

Substitutes: Wilson, the midfielder, Simms, Kesler-Hayden, the full-back, Latibeaudiere, the midfielder, the youngster, Andrews.

Ipswich Town (a 4-2-3-1 setup) Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, the defender, Greaves; Matusiwa, the midfielder; the attacker, the playmaker, the winger; Azon.

Substitutes: The goalkeeper, the defender, Johnson, Humphreys, Cajuste, Burns, the forward, Philogene-Bidace, the striker.

Referee Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria).

Africa Cup of Nations: Group A Permutations

Look, it’s complicated. It always is when some but not all third-placed teams qualify. Here’s how things look ahead of tonight’s last set of games.

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

To summarize, Morocco are probably fine though they will aim to beat their opponents to win their pool. Zambia probably need a draw or better versus the hosts. Comoros probably must to beat their rivals, who will probably be okay if they get a point.

Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.

Egypt's Match with Angola Latest

The conclusion to the second group at the continental championship has coverage elsewhere. For those wishing to remain unaware, don’t click the link.

Second Tier Standings Overview