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Hello for a busy evening of Football League as well as international football action. Our focus includes major second-tier matches plus the crucial last pool matches in this Africa Cup of Nations competition.

Introduction

Greetings to all. You are welcome to the arguably this penultimate soccer clockwatch of the year. We have a full EFL schedule, kicking off with Coventry v Ipswich at 6pm, while we will also monitor a close watch on the two evening games from Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations: Zambia against the hosts Morocco and Mali facing Comoros.

We'll be focussing on the following fixtures, all 7.45pm start times unless stated.

Africa Cup of Nations Fixtures

• The Coelacanths versus Mali (7pm)
• Zambia versus The Atlas Lions (7pm)

Championship

• The Sky Blues versus Ipswich (6pm)
• The Foxes v The Rams
• Boro versus Hull
• The Lions versus The Robins
• The Red Dragons versus North End

Third Tier Fixture

• Cardiff versus Boro

Recent Team News

Ipswich at Coventry Confirmed Lineups

The evening's opener, between the teams who are top and third in the Championship, could be a cracker. These are the two XIs.

Coventry (4-2-3-1) The goalkeeper; the right-back, Woolfenden, Kitching, Brau; Torp, the captain; Sakamoto, the attacking midfielder, Mason-Clark; Wright.

Subs: Wilson, the midfielder, Simms, Kesler-Hayden, the full-back, the defender, Eccles, Perry, Andrews.

Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Walton; the defender, the centre-half, Kipre, Greaves; Matusiwa, Taylor; the attacker, the playmaker, the winger; the centre-forward.

Substitutes: Palmer, Young, Johnson, Humphreys, Cajuste, Burns, McAteer, the attacker, Akpom.

Referee Backhouse (Cumbria).

Africa Cup of Nations: Group A Permutations

The situation is complex. It always is where only some third-place sides progress. This is the current state before this evening's final round of matches.

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

Briefly, Morocco is likely safe though they will aim to beat Zambia and top the group. Zambia likely requires at least a point against the hosts. The island nation probably must to overcome their rivals, who will probably be okay with a draw.

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-yous.

Egypt's Match with Angola Latest

The final act of Group B at the Africa Cup of Nations is being covered. To avoid spoilers, avoid following that coverage.

Second Tier 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