Hello to a packed night of Football League as well as continental soccer action. Our focus includes major Championship matches plus the pivotal final group matches in this Afcon tournament.
Greetings to all. You are welcome to what is reportedly this second-to-last soccer clockwatch of the year. We have a full Football League schedule, starting with Ipswich's trip to Coventry at 6pm, and we will also monitor a close watch on both evening games from Group A at the Afcon: Morocco hosting Zambia as well as Comoros v Mali.
We'll be focussing on these matches, with 7.45pm kick-offs except where noted.
The evening's opener, featuring the sides sitting first and third in the second tier, promises to be a thriller. These are the starting elevens.
Coventry (a 4-2-3-1 formation) Rushworth; the right-back, the centre-back, Kitching, Brau; Torp, Grimes; the winger, the attacking midfielder, Mason-Clark; the striker.
Substitutes: The backup keeper, the midfielder, Simms, Kesler-Hayden, Bidwell, the defender, Eccles, the youngster, Andrews.
Ipswich (a 4-2-3-1 setup) The shot-stopper; the defender, the centre-half, the defender, Greaves; the midfielder, the midfielder; the attacker, the playmaker, Jack Clarke; the centre-forward.
Substitutes: The goalkeeper, the defender, the midfielder, Humphreys, Cajuste, Burns, McAteer, Philogene-Bidace, Akpom.
Referee Anthony Backhouse (from Cumbria).
It's a tricky picture. That's often the case when some but not all third-place teams progress. Here’s how things look before tonight’s last round of games.
In short, Morocco are probably fine but will want to defeat Zambia to win their pool. Zambia probably need a draw or better against Morocco. Comoros likely must to overcome their rivals, who will probably be okay with a draw.
Many possibilities, various outcomes, plenty of scenarios.
The denouement to Group B at this continental championship is being covered. For those wishing to remain unaware, don’t click the link.
| 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 |
