Coventry v Ipswich, Middlesbrough v Hull, Afcon 2025 and more: Football League – live

December 30, 2025
2:24 am

Key events

39 min: Coventry 0-0 Ipswich Another opportunity for Ipswich. Darnell Furlong stands up an excellent cross ot the far post, where Jacob Greaves gets in front of Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and plants a stooping header straight at the keeper.

33 min: Coventry 0-0 Ipswich It’s a more even contest now, a compelling but largely uneventful arm-wrestle. Coventry did well to restrict Ipswich to only one good chance at a time when Ipswich were well on top.

22 min: Coventry 0-0 Ipswich Early days but Ipswich hve been very impressive in the first quarter of the game. Jack Clarke has just walloped fractionally wide from 15 yards after a cross broke perfectly for him. That’s the best chance of the game.

Zambia v Morocco team news

Zambia (poss 4-2-3-1) Mwanza; M Banda, B Sakala, Chanda, L Musonda; Chongo, Chaiwa; Hamansenya, Kangwa, Liteta; Daka.

Subs: O Chisala, F Musonda, Lahne, L Banda, Sabobo, W Chisala, Sunzu, Kalusa, Mulenga, Mwansa, K Musonda, Phiri, Mphande, Tembo, Mandanji.

Morocco (poss 4-2-3-1) Bounou; Mazraoui, Aguerd, Masina, Chibi; El Aynaoui, Ounahi; Diaz, Saibari, Ezzalzouli; El Kaabi.

Subs: Hakimi, Amrabat, Rahimi, Mohamedi, Ben Seghir, Targhaline, Akhomach, El Yamiq, En Nesyri, Talbi, Al Harrar, El Khannous, Saleh-Eddine, Ait Boudlal, Belammari.

13 min: Coventry 0-0 Ipswich So far Ipswich have been the better team: 74 per cent possession and three attempts at goal to Coventry’s none.

Comoros v Mali team news

Comoros (poss 4-2-3-1) Pandor; Toubibou, Soilihi, Kari, Abdallah; Bourhane, Z Youssouf; B Youssouf, Maolida, Selemani; Said.

Subs: B Boina, Boura, I Mohamed, Ali, M’Changama, M’Dahoma, Ahmed, Vita, Amir, B Nabouhane, Bakari, Anzimati-Aboudou, I Mohamed, Mroivili, Lutin.

Mali (poss 4-2-3-1) D Diarra, Doucoure, Diaby, O Camara, Gassama; Sangare, Bissouma; Sinayoko, Mohamed Camara, Dorgeles; K Doumbia.

Subs: Diawara, Traore, Dante, Haidara, Niakate, M Doumbia, Toure, L Coulibaly, Mamadou Camara, Fofana, M Doumbia, G Diarra, Samassa, Sissoko, Diakite.

8 min: Coventry 0-0 Ipswich Plenty of endeavour but not early chances at the CBSA.

1 min: Coventry 0-0 Ipswich The big game at the evocatively named Coventry Building Society Arena is under way.

Dodgy name or not, there’s a cracking atmosphere, with a whiff of rewenge in the air: Ipswich plugged Coventry 3-0 in the return game three weeks ago.

Afcon 2025 results

Group B is done and dusted. Egypt’s goalless draw with Angola means they finish top with seven points. South Africa beat Zimbabwe 3-2 and are also guaranteed a last 16 place. Angola (2 points, GD-1) will have to wait to find out whether they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.

Afcon 2025: 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 final round of games.

Morocco 4pts, GD+2
Mali 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 2)
Zambia 2pts, GD0 (goals scored 1)
Comoros 1pt, GD-2

In short, Morocco are probably fine but will want to beat Zambia and top the group. Zambia probably need at least a point against Morocco. Comoros probably need to beat Mali, who will probably be okay if they get a point.

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

Angola v Egypt latest

Will Unwin is covering the denouement to Group B at the Africa Cup of Nations. If you don’t want to know the score, don’t click the link.

Coventry v Ipswich team news

The early game, between the teams who are first and third in the Championship, could be a cracker. Here are the two XIs.

Coventry (4-2-3-1) Rushworth; van Ewijk, Woolfenden, Kitching, Brau; Torp, Grimes; Sakamoto, Rudoni, Mason-Clark; Wright.

Subs: Wilson, Allen, Simms, Kesler-Hayden, Bidwell, Latibeaudiere, Eccles, Perry, Andrews.

Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Walton; Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, Greaves; Matusiwa, Taylor; Walle, Nunez, Jack Clarke; Azon.

Subs: Palmer, Young, Johnson, Humphreys, Cajuste, Burns, McAteer, Philogene-Bidace, Akpom.

Referee Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria)

Preamble

Oh, hi folks. Welcome to the [checks writing desk rota] penultimate football clockwatch of 2025. There’s a full EFL programme, starting with Coventry v Ipswich at 6pm, and we’ll also be keeping at least a third of an eye on the two evening games from Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations: Zambia against the hosts Morocco and Comoros v Mali.

You can see a full list of games on our live scores page. (I would type them all out but I’m trying to save my fingers for more essential tasks ahead.) We’ll be focussing on these games, all 7.45pm kick-offs unless stated.

Afcon 2025