Wednesday cannon fodder: knockout comeback artistry

Premier League/England

England outclass Japan to lift SheBelieves Cup for first time | Football | The Guardian
England win their first trophy since 1966.

Wolves: Championship winners lost £1m a week during 2017-18 - BBC Sport
Wolverhampton Wanderers lost more than £1m a week during their Championship-winning campaign last season.

Harry Kane’s deadly artistry fires Spurs past Dortmund and into last eight | Football | The Guardian
Turns out if you don’t have to face Bayern it’s possible to move past the last 16.

Fulham launch surprise attack on Liverpool, Dalglish, fans - Football365
Fulham there, praising ‘the cool-headed pragmatism’ of Liverpool fans. Ooh, this is tasty.

Liverpool: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could make comeback on Friday - BBC Sport
Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could return to action for the Under-23s on Friday after almost a year out with injury.

Chelsea appeal against transfer ban, Fifa confirms - BBC Sport
Chelsea appeal against Fifa’s decision to ban them from signing players in the next two transfer windows.

Europe

Real Madrid 1-4 Ajax: Brilliant visitors knock out Champions League holders - BBC Sport
There will be no four in a row for Real Madrid.

Joachim Löw discards Müller, Boateng and Hummels and wants ‘new’ Germany | Football | The Guardian
The Germany manager said he is planning for the future without Thomas Müller, Jérôme Boateng and Mats Hummels.

It Might Finally Be Someone Else’s Turn In The Champions League | FiveThirtyEight
Someone not named Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

Darian MacKinnon: Hamilton captain on losing the plot, lifting bricks & being behind bars - BBC Sport
Hamilton Academical captain Darian MacKinnon has done time in jail and still wants to fight with fans, but the 33-year-old is now using his experience to help others.

Marseille hint at change of focus as Champions Project hits the rocks | Football | The Guardian
OM’s reliance on ageing stars could be nearing a conclusion as young players begin to make their presence felt.

MLS/Americas

USWNT beats Brazil 1-0, takes 2nd in SheBelieves Cup | Pro Soccer USA
Despite doing their job, the US’ dependence on other results means they settle for silver.

New York Red Bulls fall to Santos Laguna 2-0 in first leg of CCL quarterfinals | Pro Soccer USA
The New York Red Bulls paid dearly for squandered first-half chances in a 2-0 loss to Santos Laguna in the first leg of the CCL quarterfinals.

MLS has told clubs not to sign local deals beyond 2022 in hopes of packaging with national rights
That’s in hopes of a larger MLS rights bundle, but that may not happen.

ESPN secures MLS rights in Latin America and Caribbean - SportsPro Media
Disney-owned network replaces Fox Sports in four-year broadcast deal.

A Dummy’s Guide to the 2019 Copa Libertadores: Favorites, Dark Horses and Players to Watch
We assess the leading candidates for glory and the potential stars ahead of the start of the 2019 Copa Libertadores.

Rest of the World

Criminal or whistleblower? The story of the man behind Football Leaks | Football | The Guardian
On Tuesday a Hungarian court approved Rui Pinto’s extradition to Portugal to face charges he denies.

Other

The Increasing Complexity of Analytics | StatsBomb
We're getting a handle on the what. We still struggle with the why.

What Was the Happiest Day on the Internet This Decade? - The Ringer
Let’s take a pseudoscientific journey through the past nine years of internet history to determine the single best day to be online