The Sky Blues v The Tractor Boys, Leicester versus The Rams, along with Additional EFL League Previews
Hello to the packed night of Football League and continental football fixtures. The spotlight falls on key Championship matches plus the crucial last pool matches in the Afcon competition.
Introduction
Greetings to all. You are welcome to what is arguably the penultimate soccer clockwatch of the year. There’s an extensive Football League programme, starting with Coventry v Ipswich at 6pm, and we’ll also be keeping at least a third of an eye on the two night fixtures from Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations: Morocco hosting Zambia and Comoros v Mali.
Our primary attention will be on these games, all 19:45 kick-offs unless stated.
Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures
- Comoros versus The Eagles (7pm)
- Zambia v The Atlas Lions (7pm)
Championship
- Coventry v The Tractor Boys (6pm)
- Leicester versus Derby
- Middlesbrough v Hull
- The Lions versus Bristol City
- The Red Dragons v Preston
Third Tier Fixture
- Cardiff versus Stevenage
Recent Team News
Ipswich at Coventry Team News
The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting top and third in the second tier, looks like an exciting match. These are the two XIs.
Coventry (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; the right-back, the centre-back, Kitching, Brau; the midfielder, Grimes; the winger, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; the striker.
Subs: The backup keeper, Allen, Simms, Kesler-Hayden, Bidwell, Latibeaudiere, the midfielder, Perry, the player.
Ipswich Town (a 4-2-3-1 setup) The shot-stopper; Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, Greaves; the midfielder, Taylor; the attacker, the playmaker, the winger; Azon.
Subs: The goalkeeper, Young, Johnson, the defender, the midfielder, the winger, McAteer, Philogene-Bidace, Akpom.
Referee Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria).
Africa Cup of Nations: Group A Scenarios
Look, it’s complicated. It always is when some but not all third-place sides qualify. This is the current state ahead of this evening's final set of games.
- Morocco 4 points, GD+2
- Mali 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 2)
- The Copper Bullets 2pts, 0 goal difference (with 1 goal for)
- Comoros 1 point, -2 goal difference
To summarize, Morocco are probably fine though they will aim to beat Zambia to win the group. Zambia likely requires a draw or better against Morocco. The island nation likely must to beat their rivals, who will probably be okay if they get a point.
Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.
Angola v Egypt Latest
The denouement to the second group at the Africa Cup of Nations is being covered. If you don’t want to know the score, it's best not to seek out that information.
Championship Table 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 |
