Coventry 1-0 Swansea, Egypt 1-0 South Africa, and extra: EFL, Afcon 2025 – soccer dwell | Africa Cup of Nations 2025
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Key occasions
Championship relegation zone: With Sheffield Wednesday on -8 factors and 30 from security, we are able to most likely write off their possibilities of escaping the drop however who will fall by the trapdoor with them? Oxford United’s win over Southampton lifted them out of the relegation zone, which is now occupied by Portsmouth, Norwich Metropolis and Wednesday.
Coventry Metropolis: Frank Lampard’s facet transfer eight factors away from Middlesbrough in second place, with the extra essential hole to Ipswich in third now out to 13 factors. Coventry had dropped seven factors of their 4 video games main as much as right this moment’s win over Swansea, a state of affairs that may presumably be attributed to a debilitating dose of the flu that swept by their squad in latest weeks. On the midway level of the season, Coventry have 51 factors and are trying good for computerized promotion to the highest flight below a head coach I need to confess I believed they had been bonkers to nominate.
Egypt 1-0 South Africa
Afcon group B: Mo Salah scored the one aim of the sport to offer Egypt their second win of the match and transfer them three level away from South Africa on the high of Group B. Earlier this afternoon, Angola and Zimbabwe drew 1-1 to go away each side with one level every going into their closing group video games.
Championship outcomes
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Birmingham Metropolis 1-1 Derby County
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Millwall 0-0 Ipswich City
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Coventry Metropolis 1-0 Swansea Metropolis
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Leicester Metropolis 1-2 Watford
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Middlesbrough 0-0 Blackburn
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Norwich Metropolis 1-0 Charlton Athletic
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Oxford United 2-1 Southampton
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Portsmouth 1-1 QPR
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Sheffield Wednesday 2-2 Hull Metropolis
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Stoke Metropolis 0-0 Preston
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West Brom 1-2 Bristol Metropolis
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Wrexham v Sheffield United (5.30pm GMT)
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View the Championship desk
Championship: Considerably fittingly, a Blackburn fan carrying a Grinch costume and a blue Father Christma hat is celebrating wildly on the Riverside Stadium having simply sat by a dismal 0-0 draw between his facet and Middlesbrough.
League One: Lincoln Metropolis have scored what must be a late, late winner from the penalty spot to go 2-1 up towards Stockport County.
Oxford United beat Southampton: Oxford take pleasure in an interim supervisor bounce below Craig Brief following the dismissal of Gary Rowett, taking the factors because of a winner from Stan Mills, son of former England worldwide Danny. They leapfrog Portsmouth, who drew at house with QPR, to climb out of the relegation zone.
Coventry win towards Swansea Metropolis! They had been hanging on on the loss of life however Coventry Metropolis have taken all three factors from their match towards the Swans courtesy of Ephron Mason-Clark’s winner simply earlier than half-time.
League One: Joe Wright has simply headed Bradford right into a late 2-1 lead towards Wigan Athletic, who’re all the way down to 9 males having misplaced two gamers to purple playing cards.
GOAL! West Brom 1-2 Bristol Metropolis (Diakite 85)
Championship: Ousmane Diakite supplies some late hope for West Brom on the Hawthorns, the place questions are being requested about Ryan Mason’s future (or obvious lack thereof) as supervisor of the Baggies.
GOAL! Oxford United 2-1 Southampton (Mills 89)
Championship: Stan Mills fires relegation-threatened Oxford again in entrance on the Kassam Stadium.
League One: There are targets galore within the third tier, the place Mansfield City have come from 2-0 down towards Barnlsey to guide 3-2 and Burton lead Northampton 5-1 on the Pirelli Stadium. Jack Wilshere’s Luton are 4-0 up towards Wycombe Wanderers, whereas Huddersfield lead Port Vale 5-0.
Middlesbrough 0-0 Blackburn: Hayden Hackney is exceptionally fortunate to get not more than a reserving for a bad-tempered boot at Taylor Gardner-Hickman that sends the Blackburn substitute cartwheeling by the air like an English batsman’s cricket stump on the MCG. Hackney made no try in any way to play the ball however by some means will get away with a reserving.
Coventry Metropolis 1-0 Swansea Metropolis: Liam Cullen misses a wonderful probability to equalise for Swansea Metropolis towards the league leaders, connecting with a cross and volleying over the bar from a few yards out when scoring seemed far simpler.
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 2-2 Hull Metropolis (Crooks 65)
Championship: Hull equalise for a second time, with Matt Crooks pouncing on a rebound within the penalty space and firing beneath Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles.
GOAL! Leicester Metropolis 1-2 Watford (Pollock 65)
Championship: Watford come from behind to guide by Mattie Pollock’s header previous Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, who got here for a cross however didn’t get close to the ball.
GOAL! Norwich Metropolis 1-0 Charlton (Makama 61)
Championship: Having fun with a brand new, much-needed lease of life below Philippe Clement, Norwich go forward by Jovon Makama, whose highly effective shot on the flip makes it eight targets this season for the 21-year-old.
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Hull Metropolis (Cadamarteri 60)
Championship: Sheffield Wednesday return in entrance towards Hull Metropolis at Hillsborough with Bailey-Tye Cadarmarteri chesting down a go from Barry Bannon within the penalty space earlier than prodding the ball previous Ivor Pandur.
GOAL! Portsmouth 1-1 QPR (Dunne 61)
Championship: Jimmy Dunne powers house a header at a nook to equalise for QPR towards Portsmouth.
League One: Stockport equalise towards Lincoln Metropolis, with Oliver Norwood having an effort saved from the penalty spot just for Jayden Fevrier to react quickest and rating on the follow-up. On the Accu Stadium, Huddersfield now lead Port Vale 5-0.
League One: With second positioned Lincoln successful at Stockport, league leaders Cardiff Metropolis have simply gone one up towards Exeter Metropolis courtesy of an Alex Robertson sidefooted effort from seven yards out. Elsewhere in League One, Huddersfield are 4-0 up towards Port Vale on the Accu Stadium.
Coventry Metropolis 1-0 Swansea Metropolis: With one aim to his identify already this afternoon, Ephron Mason-Clark goes near doubling Coventry’s lead as his low drive from distance takes a deflection off a defender and fizzes a pair inches vast of the upright. Within the Swansea aim, Lawrence Vigouroux was horribly wrongfooted.
Salah fires Egypt forward towards South Africa
Afcon: Egypt are all the way down to 10 males after shedding Mohamed Hany to a purple card however simply earlier than he obtained his marching orders, Mo Salah scored his second aim of the match. The Liverpool winger transformed from the penalty spot within the forty fifth minute to offer his nation a 1-0 half-time lead in Agadir.
Championship half-times
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Birmingham Metropolis 1-1 Derby County (R)
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Millwall 0-0 Ipswich City (R)
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Coventry Metropolis 1-0 Swansea Metropolis
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Leicester Metropolis 1-1 Watford
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Middlesbrough 0-0 Blackburn
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Norwich Metropolis 0-0 Charlton Athletic
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Oxford United 1-1 Southampton
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Portsmouth 1-0 QPR
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Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Hull Metropolis
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Stoke Metropolis 0-0 Preston
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West Brom 0-2 Bristol Metropolis
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Wrexham v Sheffield United (5.30pm GMT)
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View the Championship desk
GOAL! Leicester Metropolis 1-1 Watford (Maamma 45)
Championship: Othmane Maamma equalises for Watford with a elegant curled effort off the surface of his left boot. That’s a pleasant end.
GOAL! Portsmouth 1-0 QPR (Devlin 45)
Championship: QPR fail to clear a Portsmouth nook and Terry Devlin reacts quickest to volley the ball by visitors and into the underside nook from 15 yards out.
GOAL! Coventry Metropolis 1-0 Swansea Metropolis (Mason-Clark 44)
Championship: Ephron Mason-Clark shoots on the flip and roofs the ball to offer Coventry the lead. Moments beforehand, the runaway league leaders had been denied by millimetres when an Ellis Simms header was clawed out by Swansea goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux. He carried out miracles to forestall the ball crossing the road on that event however was powerless to maintain Mason-Clark’s shot out.
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Hull Metropolis (Belloumi 37)
Championship: A large 28 factors from security after numerous factors deductions and nonetheless on the lookout for their first house win of the season, Sheffield Wedneday have been pegged by Hull Metropolis, who equalise by Mohamed Belloumi. His first contact was excellent, taking out a defender and his second to beat Pierce Charles was equally elegant.
Afcon: There’s no rating within the Group B recreation between Egypt and South Africa with a little bit over 10 minutes to go till half-time. Mo Salah and Omar Marmoush are each within the Egypt facet, whereas Burnley’s Lyle Foster is enjoying up entrance for South Africa.
GOAL! Oxford United 1-1 Southampton (Harwood-Bellis 29)
Championship: Making the most of some poor defending at a free-kick, a totally unmarked Taylor Harwood-Bellis nods house from eight yards out to revive parity for Southampton on the Kassam Stadium.
League One: Within the top-of-the-table conflict at Edgeley Park, Reeco Hackett has given Lincoln Metropolis the lead of their recreation towards Stockport County.
GOAL! West Brom 0-2 Bristol Metropolis (McRorie 22)
Championship: Ross McRorie doubles Bristol Metropolis’s lead, hammering the ball house from a slender angle after working on to a ball throughout the penalty space slipped his means by Scott Twine.
GOAL! Oxford United 1-0 Southampton (Goodrham 23)
Championship: Tyler Goodrham runs on to a Southampton clearance from a nook and smashes the ball previous Gavin Bazunu to place Oxford United forward of their match of the post-Gary Rowett period.
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Hull Metropolis (Ingelsson 21)
Championship: Svante Ingelsson runs in behind the Hull CIty defence to latch on to a protracted kick-out from Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles and hearth previous Ivan Pandur.
West Brom 0-1 Bristol Metropolis: Bristol Metropolis goalscorer Anis Mehmeti is considerably lucky to keep away from a purple card for what seemed suspiciously like a deliberate forearm smash on Callum Types that drew blood from the West Brom midfielder.
Leicester Metropolis 1-0 Watford: Mattie Pollock thinks he’s equalised for Watford with a bullet header from a nook however his effort is dominated out as a result of one among his teammates was standing in entrance of Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk in an offside place.
GOAL! Leicester Metropolis 1-0 Watford (James 7)
Championship: Jordan James shoots on the flip from distance to place Leicester in entrance with a low drive into the underside nook. It’s his sixth aim of the season.
GOAL! West Brom 0-1 Bristol Metropolis (Mehmeti 4)
Championship: Anis Mehmeti fires Bristol Metropolis in entrance on the Hawthorns with a low shot by visitors from outdoors the penalty space that finds its means into the underside nook.
Stoke 0-0 Preston: Harrison Armstrong will get an early probability, capturing over the Stoke bar from distance after the ball sat up properly for him.
Not lengthy now: Your Boxing Day 3pm kick-offs are simply seconds away …
Millwall 0-0 Ipswich City
Championship: A reasonably uneventful recreation through which each side had their moments with out ever threatening to win finishes all sqaure on the Den. Either side stay within the high six, with Ipswich in third place and their hosts in sixth.
Birmingham Metropolis 1-1 Derby County
Championship: Patrick Agyemang and Jack Robinson traded targets as each side completed a Boxing Day match that was low on high quality however excessive on speaking factors at St Andrew’s.
Angola 1-1 Zimbabwe
Afcon Group B: It’s completed all sq. in Marrakesh between Angola and Zimbabwe, who choose up their first factors of the competitors after two video games every. Gelson Dala opened the scoring for Angola however his aim was cancelled out by Data Musona.
Birmingham Metropolis 1-1 Derby County: So shut. Birmingham Metropolis’s Jack Robinson leaps to attach with a cross into the Derby County penalty space and steers a header on to the bar.
Pink card! Birmingham all the way down to 10 males
Birmingham Metropolis 1-1 Derby County: Already on a yellow card and fortunate to not have been despatched off earlier within the second half, Christoph Klarer will get a straight purple card for a excessive boot on Eboue Adams out by touchline. We’re in added time at St Andrew’s, each side are all the way down to 10 males and the scores are degree.
Oxford United: Following the dimissal of Gary Rowett three days in the past, Oxford United will face Southampton on the Kassam Stadium with Craig Brief in interim cost. Rowett and his assistant Mark Sale had been relieved of their duties following a disappointing run of outcomes, most not too long ago a 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic. Oxford United have received simply one among their previous 10 video games and presently sit twenty second within the Championship.
Birmingham get fortunate: Already on a yellow card, Birmingham Metropolis captain Christoph Klarer illegally blocks Patrick Agyemang as he makes an attempt to run on to a protracted ball from deep. Klarer escapes a second yellow and the purple that ought to accompany it however Derby County head coach John Eustace is booked for complaining about what appears a blatant injustice. It’s a baffling choice.
GOAL! Birmingham Metropolis 1-1 Derby County (Robinson 64)
Championship: Regardless of failing to correctly get his head to a free-kick aimed in direction of the far put up, Jack Robinson by some means manages to reap the benefits of some slapstick defending to bundle the ball over the road anyway and equalise for Birmingham Metropolis towards 10-man Derby County. It’s as scruffy a aim as you’ll ever see however the house followers at St Andrew’s received’t care.
Millwall 0-0 Ipswich City: It’s half-time on the Den, the place the impasse between Millwall and Ipswich stays resolutely unbroken.
Afcon: In right this moment’s early match, Data Musona scored for Zimbabwe within the sixth minute of time added on on the finish of the primary half to cancel out Gelson Dala’s opener for Angola. It’s 1-1 in Marrakesh.
Birmingham 0-1 Derby County: The second half is effectively below means at St Andrew’s, the place Birmingham Metropolis path 1-0 and have simply had a superb shout for a penalty inexplicably turned down. With each his arms wrapped round Marvin Ducksch, Derby defender Matt Clarke fell backwards in his personal penalty space, clearly dragging the Birmingham striker to floor with him. He will get away with it.
John Robertson dies “peacefully” aged 72
There may have been no scarcity of glasses raised in Nottingham, Scotland and past yesterday in reminiscence of John Robertson, following information of his loss of life on the age of 72. The winger was a vastly necessary member of Brian Clough’s nice Forest crew that rose from the second tier of English soccer to win a number of main honours, most famously back-to-back European Cups.
Described by Clough as “the Picasso of our recreation”, Robertson performed 28 instances for Scotland and scored the successful aim in a Residence Championship victory over England at Wembley in Might 1981. Sachin Nakrani stories …
Premier League and EFL to carry blackout talks
Guardian unique: The Premier League and EFL will maintain talks early subsequent yr about combining to allow 3pm Saturday kick-offs to be broadcast dwell every week for the primary time. Matt Hughes stories …
At present on the Africa Cup of Nations
Championship: In right this moment’s early kick-off, Derby County lead Birmingham Metropolis courtesy of a Patrick Agemang header within the twenty seventh minute, however are all the way down to 10 males following the dimissal of Joe Ward. The Derby winger picked up a foolish yellow card for attempting to delay a free-kick and was despatched off for his second bookable offence 10 minutes later. His crime? Cynically tripping Jonathan Roberts as he superior on the guests’ penalty space. He can haven’t any complaints about both warning.
They’re approaching half-time at St Andrew’s, whereas it’s scoreless on the Den in right this moment’s barely later kick-off between Millwall and Ipswich City after 19 minutes.
Boxing Day Championship fixtures
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Birmingham Metropolis 0-1 Derby County (L)
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Millwall 0-0 Ipswich City (L)
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Coventry Metropolis v Swansea Metropolis
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Leicester Metropolis v Watford
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Middlesbrough v Blackburn
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Norwich Metropolis v Charlton Athletic
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Oxford United v Southampton
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Portsmouth v QPR
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Sheffield Wednesday v Hull Metropolis
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Stoke Metropolis v Preston
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West Brom v Bristol Metropolis
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Wrexham v Sheffield United (5.30pm GMT)
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View the Championship desk
Boxing Day clockwatch …
Good afternoon and season’s greetings to you all. When you’re presently nursing a light Harvey’s Bristol Cream headache, gazing a mountain of chilly meat and unable to get to the TV as a result of nan and the youngsters are watching Puss In Boots: The Final Want, you’ve come to the proper place. Clearly, in case you’re watching Puss In Boots: The Final Want however want to concurrently maintain tabs on all of his afternoon’s soccer motion, then you definitely’ve additionally come to the proper place. Welcome, nan.
In contrast to your Christmas turkey, there are slim high flight pickings available right this moment; a quirk of the 2025 calendar and broadcasting calls for means the Premier League has largely pulled up the drawbridge, leaving us with only a solitary nightcap at Previous Trafford afterward. However worry not, for the EFL stays the guts and soul of the festive schedule. We’ve a full slate of 3pm kick-offs, within the Championship, together with leaders Coventry Metropolis internet hosting Swansea and a high-stakes conflict between Middlesbrough and Blackburn.
Past the second tier, we’ll be scanning the EFL for any headline information of word — and for these craving one thing a bit extra unique than a drizzly afternoon in Gillingham, we’re additionally conserving tabs on Afcon goings-on in Morocco. Angola and Zimbabwe’s Group B recreation is already below means, whereas Egypt and South Africa are attributable to kick off in Agadir at 3pm (GMT). Settle in, seize a drink and a mince pie, and let’s get to it.
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