North Korea‘s Naegohyang Women’s FC is due to play a South Korean women’s team in Suwon on May 20, the first time Pyongyang has permitted its athletes to travel to the South in more than seven years.

For some, it is an indication that the North is deploying “sports diplomacy” to ease strained bilateral ties.

The rare visit comes as North Korea has framed the South as its “primary foe and invariable principal enemy” in a recently rewritten constitution that removes notions of reunifying the peninsula, which has been divided since the 1950-1953 Korean War. 

Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, argued in an article published on the CSIS website on May 4 that, “sports diplomacy has always been an important tool of inter-Korean diplomacy.”

Pyongyang allowing the athletes to travel to the South “is significant, given North Korea’s shutdown of all dialogue with South Korea and its assertion of the enemy-state declaration vis-a-vis Seoul,” Cha said.

“In this regard, the football match could demonstrate the potential to separate cultural exchanges from politics,” he added.

The 27-strong North Korean team had been training in Beijing but arrived at Incheon airport on Sunday before travelling on to Suwon, some 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Seoul, ahead of the semi-final of the Asian Football Confederation’s Women’s Champions League.

Signs of improving North-South ties?

While analysts broadly agree that a North Korean team visiting the South is a positive development, they caution against reading too much into Pyongyang’s decision.

“The likelihood of this football match becoming an immediate ‘breakthrough’ in inter-Korean relations is limited,” said Hyobin Lee, a professor at Sogang University in Seoul.

“But I also do not think it is meaningless, and I partially agree with Victor Cha’s analysis,” she told DW.

The first visit by a North Korean women’s football team since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games is “symbolically significant,” Lee noted.

She pointed out that some South Korean politicians have described it as “a possible opportunity to ease tensions in frozen inter-Korean relations.”

The limits of sports diplomacy

South Korean media reported that Unification Minister Chung Dong-young is also considering attending the match.

“There is understandable optimism that a soccer tournament could become a positive case of inter-Korean, people-to-people exchange after an extended suspension,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, told DW.

The rare visit by a North Korean women’s football team ​has been approved under the inter-Korean exchange law. All 7,087 tickets made available to the general public sold out within a day.

While Easley thinks it would be premature to call the event “successful sports diplomacy,” North Korea’s participation “could suggest a softening in Pyongyang’s portrayal of Seoul as a hostile enemy.”

Erwin Tan, a professor of international politics at Hankuk University, is more skeptical of the soccer match.

“Inter-Korean sports and cultural events have occurred quite frequently in the past, yet have not led to any diplomatic breakthrough, so I see no reason to see this development as signaling anything new,” Tan told DW.

2018’s missed opportunity

The last time North Korean athletes were in the South was when five table tennis players competed in Incheon, west of Seoul, in December 2018.

That tournament took place nine months after ten North Korean athletes participated in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in the South.

Competitors from both countries took part in the opening ceremony under the Korean unification flag, and Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister, headed a high-level delegation from Pyongyang.

And while the games appeared to herald a brighter diplomatic outlook, the cross-border relationship soon soured.

Kim Jong Un has since ditched the reunification rhetoric. Pyongyang has altered its constitution to codify its “hostile two-state” policy. 

Lee believes the North’s participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics “should be viewed as a limited but short-lived success” that ultimately fell short because of the collapse of the nuclear summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in 2019 and “growing distrust between Washington and Pyongyang.”

However, Pyongyang agreeing to send the team south allows the country “to project an image to the international community that it is not completely isolated or closed off,” she added. 

What else could have prompted Pyongyang to send its athletes?

Lee believes Pyongyang has a number of reasons beyond attempting to encourage a diplomatic thaw for agreeing to send the team south.

She notes that since sports exchanges are politically less risky than formal diplomatic negotiations, these kinds of events are “useful for testing limited engagement.”

“There is likely a propaganda dimension as well,” she said. “North Korea has long used international sports participation as a way to promote national prestige and regime legitimacy domestically.”

It is also possible that Pyongyang wants to preserve “selective channels of communication with the South rather than completely severing all forms of contact,” Lee told DW.

“In that sense, the match may signal that North Korea is leaving a small diplomatic door open, even while maintaining its broader hardline stance,” she added.

Edited by: Emmy Sasipornkarn

The old jockey proverb of having a saddle means you’ll travel doesn’t resonate with South Australia’s Garret Lynch, whose creed is ‘have horse float, will travel’.

Lynch notches thousands of kilometres each year roaming South Australia from Murray Bridge and commands the trainers’ ladder with 65 successes, leading Phillip Stokes by 21.

His wins span metropolitan city tracks, 35 provincials and 27 at outback locales including Ceduna, Roxby Downs, Quorn, Penong, Lock and Pooncarie.

“I place them where they can win and if that means if it’s 10 or 11 hours away, I’ll head off,” Lynch said.

This Saturday marks new territory for Lynch at Flemington in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) with Alainge, his premier runner, seeking a Melbourne Cup (3200m) berth in November.

Flemington’s last Lynch runner was Callmedan, seventh in the 2014 Bagot Handicap.

Alainge handed Lynch his top triumph over 15 training years via the Listed Port Adelaide Cup victory at Morphettville on May 2.

Thoughts of Saturday emerged after Alainge’s fifth in the March Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville.

“She ran a really good race in the Adelaide Cup and was just way too far back and finished off really strongly,” Lynch said.

“After getting the two miles for the first time, I thought we’d head down this direction and try and qualify for the Melbourne Cup.

“Ask any trainer, and their aim is to win the Melbourne Cup, and I’m no different.”

Lynch has had only two Flemington runners previously, deeming Alainge his best shot ‘by far’.

“My early training career, I was only 23 or 24 when I had my other Flemington runners,” Lynch said.

“My last runner was seventh in the Bagot.

“Back then I was based at Murray Bridge but every summer I would base myself at Cranbourne for three or four months and I did that for about four years then.”

Aboard Alainge Saturday is Harry Grace, ex-apprentice to late Robbie Laing, Lynch’s Melbourne host.

Lynch convinced Grace, who steered Alainge in the Port Adelaide Cup, to base in South Australia.

“I’m the one that convinced him to come over, so I’ll stay loyal to him,” Lynch said.

“He’ll ride her over there on Saturday and then we’ll head to the Sandown Cup after the Ramsden, and he’ll ride her there as well.

“He hasn’t got a base yet, but he’ll float around between Murray Bridge and Morphettville and try an establish himself over here.”

For the Andrew Ramsden Stakes, punters can find competitive racing odds at top betting sites.

Chelsea target Valentín Barco (21) has announced that his time at RC Strasbourg Alsace has come to an end in a post on Instagram.

Barco joined Strasbourg, initially on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion during the winter transfer window of 2025, before then making the move to the Meinau permanent the following summer in a deal worth a reported €10m.

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In his only full season with Le Racing, Barco has become a key part of the club’s midfield, featuring 43 times in all competitions, scoring three and assisting a further nine goals. His form at club level has seen him return to the Argentina national team ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

Upon the conclusion of that tournament – should he play a part – Barco will not return to Strasbourg. In a post on social media, he announced his impending exit. “Today, I announce my exit from a club that I joined with a lot of hope. In one-and-a-half years, I have had many magnificent moments, notably the most beautiful: the birth of my daughter […] I will continue to follow the club from afar. We will come back as a family as soon as possible. Strasbourg will remain a special place for us,” he said.

Barco’s contract with Le Racing runs until 2029, but he is now set to join Chelsea, with whom an agreement is close, L’Équipe understands.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

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SAUGATUCK – Neave Rewa sets a record nearly every time she steps on the pitch.

The Saugatuck soccer senior broke the school record for career goals last year and it grows every time the ball hits the back of the net.

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“The biggest thing is she is so determined to achieve what she wants to achieve. When she loses a ball, her whole body changes and you know she is going to get it back,” Saugatuck coach Neal Phillips said. “This had to be tough on her to switch coaches and systems as a senior and she is still thriving.”

More: Saugatuck’s Neave Rewa claims state skiing championship in slalom

Rewa said part of that stems from learning from older players in the program that has become one of the best small-school programs in West Michigan.

“I have always had a lot of strong people to look up to. Seeing that has helped me step into that role that I have observed for so long. We have come from separate players to coming together, and with a new coach, too,” she said.

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Rewa, also a skiing state champion, has 15 goals this season in the new system as opposing teams surround her with three defenders at times. She scored 58 goals through her first three seasons and sits at 73 – a stunning 31 goals ahead of the next on Saugatuck’s all-time list.

That experience will help her at the next step when she joins Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

“When I was searching for schools, I wanted to stay in the Midwest but get a little distance from home. It stuck out because they have won a lot of team ethic awards,” Rewa said. “The school has a pretty good science program and I loved all the coaches and players and it felt like the right next step.”

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It is a step Rewa has been dreaming of for years.

“It is pretty incredible,” she said. “I have played for almost my entire life. To have that comet together for four more years is really exciting.”

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Saugatuck’s Neave Rewa keeps record-breaking soccer career going

Last season was disappointing, as most Vikings players struggled to meet their expectations. The result was a 9-8 record and a season that virtually ended around Thanksgiving.

One guy, meanwhile, stood out, or exploded onto the scene, one could argue. Jalen Redmond was the discovery of Minnesota’s 2025 campaign, but he’s still flying under the radar, it seems.

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report nominated the best-kept secret of every roster entering the summer and he actually landed on Redmond for the Vikings, although his breakout season is already in the rearview mirror.

“Jalen Redmond’s story alone deserves attention after being an undrafted free agent, needing the United Football League as a pathway to the NFL and growing into an underappreciated defensive lineman,” he wrote.

Redmond’s story has been fantastic. After missing time in college due to blood clots and later opting out of the COVID season for the reason, Redmond went undrafted in 2023. The Panthers signed him, but he failed to stick around for the regular season. Ultimately, Redmond joined the UFL.

Four games were enough to catch Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s eye, who eventually signed him to a contract in the 2024 offseason. A solid rotational season in 2024 was followed by a true breakout campaign in 2025.

Sobleski continued, “There’s a standard to his play. It’s shown up every single week, and it goes back a lot before everybody started to notice it,” Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters in November. ‘For us, just felt like he was a guy that we wanted to make sure was on the field as much as possible. He’s a really good player. I think he’s developed throughout his time here and really is starting to understand how he fits within the defense.’”

Appearing in all 17 games with 15 starts, Redmond logged 6 sacks and 62 tackles on Minnesota’s defensive line, slowly carving into the reps from former Pro Bowlers Allen and Hargrave. He ended up as the top defensive lineman on the roster.

While Allen and Hargrave were exed in March, Redmond was re-signed. The Vikings had the exclusive rights and handed him a fresh one-year minimum deal. He’ll be a restricted free agent next year, unless the Vikings sign him to an extension.

PFF analyst Zach Tantillo recently wrote about the two-year Viking, “Redmond emerged as one of the Vikings’ most reliable interior defenders in 2025. He earned a 73.5 PFF overall grade, ranking third among Minnesota defenders. He was especially dominant against the run, where his 30 run stops, 1.46-yard average depth of tackle, and 19.4% positively graded play rate all ranked second-best on the defense.”

In the upcoming season, Redmond will be joined by a couple of rookies, including first-rounder Caleb Banks.

Sobleski finally concluded, “The Vikings employ an attacking defensive front. Redmond fits in nicely, with six sacks and numerous pressures last season. Minnesota wanted a disruptive interior presence, hence the selection of Caleb Banks in this year’s first round. He will join Redmond and give the unit an explosive, upfield duo.”

Redmond and Banks are both penetrating linemen who could benefit from the other rookie, Domonique Orange, whose two-gapping presence can open up lanes for his more explosive counterparts. In base defense, those three project to be the starting trio, unless another depth player, primarily Levi Drake Rodriguez, can surprise this summer.

Vikings fans have already seen Redmond explode, but the national media is a little behind. Another good season should do the trick and give him the attention he deserves.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt

Major League Baseball still hasn’t seen a no-hitter since Sept. 4, 2024. J.T. Ginn of the Athletics strongly flirted with snapping the drought on Monday evening in Anaheim against the Angels. In fact, he took the no-hitter to the ninth inning with a 1-0 lead. But instead of making history, he came out on the wrong side of a walk-off loss. 

The game was actually tied, 0-0, heading to the ninth, and a small rally gave the A’s the lead and set the table for Ginn. Adam Frazier singled to start the ninth inning for the Halos. Three pitches later, Zach Neto hit a walk-off home run to center field.

Though Ginn isn’t the most unlikely no-hitter candidate in the majors or anything, he was a pretty hefty longshot. The right-hander had previously only gone more than six innings in an outing once in his career, though it was an eight-inning start on May 7 of this season. He entered the game having given up 36 hits in 43 ⅓ innings. 

This one wasn’t a bunch of batted-ball luck, either. Ginn totally dominated the hapless Angels from the start of the game through the eighth inning. He struck out 10 against one walk. He didn’t give up hard contact until the eighth when Jo Adell lined out to center. Otherwise, it was a collection of easy outs in play and strikeouts. 

Things just went off the rails for two batters in the ninth, and, due to a lack of run support, Ginn became the hard-luck loser. 

Had Ginn pulled this off, it would’ve been the 14th no-hitter in the storied history of the Athletics franchise. The most recent one was on May 7, 2019 when Mike Fiers pulled off the feat against the Reds. 

Of further interest here is that this was close to being the first no-hitter in the majors since September 2024, when the Cubs had a combined no-no against the Pirates. The most recent no-hitter from an individual pitcher came on Aug. 2, 2024 when Blake Snell did so against the Reds. 

The Angels haven’t been no-hit since 1999, when Eric Milton of the Twins twirled a gem. 

The A’s loss pushed them to 23-24 on the season, though that’s good enough for first place in the AL West. The Angels move to 17-31. 

The teams behind Terence Crawford and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s blockbuster clash last year will go head-to-head again this weekend in Egypt.

Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre trained Crawford from debut until retirement, and the same will be said about Eddy Reynoso and Canelo when the Mexican decides to hang up his gloves. The two camps went head-to-head in the most significant bout of 2025, with the Americans coming out on top to crown Crawford undisputed super-middleweight champion and hand Alvarez just his third defeat in 68 fights.

This coming weekend at the Pyramids of Giza, ‘BoMac’ and Reynoso will be sitting in opposite corners once again, as heavyweights Richard Torrez Jr and Frank Sanchez battle it out in an IBF final eliminator for a shot at champion Oleksandr Usyk, who fights kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in the main event.

Unlike Sanchez, who has been with Reynoso for some years, other than a stint away in 2022, Torrez has only just linked up with McIntyre at the B&B Sports Academy in Omaha.

The well-respected trainer, who also has Lester Martinez in his stable and previously coached Keyshawn Davis, told Top Rank that he has been impressed so far and expects his new heavyweight charge to shine this weekend.

“Frank Sanchez is a great fighter. He has a great team behind him, a great coach. I know for a fact that over there with Eddye Reynoso those guys stay ready. I wouldn’t accept nothing less, and the [inactivity] doesn’t matter to him.

“It’s going to be a tough fight for the first couple of rounds, cause the guys are gonna feel each other out, taste each other’s power, but the will and determination is gonna come down. And I know one thing – Frank got a loss. He got stopped. So he knows how to lose. Richard’s undefeated, silver medallist. Kid ain’t lost in umpteen years. I’m just looking for him to go out there and do his thing and definitely get the win.”

After his amateur success for the US, Torrez has built a professional record of 14-0 at 26 years old, scoring 12 knockouts and boasting his biggest win over Guido Vianello. Cuba’s Sanchez, 25-1 (18 KOs), lost to Agit Kabayel in 2024 to set his world title dreams back a little, but is right on the verge again now.

Given Usyk-Verhoeven is more spectacle than high-level boxing, their clash may prove the most intriguing heavyweight contest on the card, which also includes Jack vs Shakhram Giyasov for the WBA Regular welterweight belt and Hamzeh Sheeraz against Alem Begic for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title, previously held by Canelo and Crawford.