Since March 2019, the Unashamed Football Novels by Texi Smith have captured the imagination of readers worldwide. In 2021 Anna Black got us excited for the FIFA Womens World Cup. Jarrod Black returned in December 2022 with another fast-paced adventure in Chasing Pack and in 2024, the focus turned to Abebi, a Matildas star of the future. While we await the next adventure of the Black family, check out Texi's first non-fiction work, an account of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022, titled 'Metro,…
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SD Raiders 0 Sydney FC 1 A superb strike from silky Japanese import Takahiro Sekine guided Sydney FC past the stumbling block of NPL side SD Raiders at Fairfield Showground on Wednesday night. On a perfect winter’s night for football, the home team kept themselves in the game until the bitter end, but coudn’t find Continue reading "Sekine smashes Sydney FC into semis"
Chelsea 3 A-League All Stars 0 The A-League All Stars were swept aside by a silky Chelsea women’s team on Wednesday night as the Sydney Cup concluded in a low-key manner at Allianz Stadium. Two goals in the first ten minutes from Sandy Baltimore and Sjoeke Nüsken had the Blues in the driving seat early Continue reading "All stars get the Blues"
I told myself I wouldn’t write an account of our 2026 World Cup trip to North America, but here we are. When I’m in my 80s I’ll be able to look back at the cool things I did in my life, and this was definitely one of them. I wrote a book about my last Continue reading "Yee haw – FIFA World Cup 2026"
Tottenham Hostpurs 1 Sydney FC 1 (4-2 on penalties) Sydney FC followed up their Australia Cup victory in Western Australia last week with a spirited performance against London’s finest at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday night in the Sydney Super Cup. Under heavy pressure and trailing at the break thanks to an immaculate free kick from Continue reading "Rusty Spurs edge Hiro’s Sydney"
Australia 1 Egypt 1 (2-4 penalties) Australian football missed a once-in-a-generation chance on Friday, falling once more at the first knock-out stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a penalty shoot-out against a wily Egypt team in Dallas. Emam Ashour headed the Pharaohs into an early lead and there was scope for more damage Continue reading "Missed opportunity as Socceroos crash out"
Cote d’Ivoire 1 Norway 2 Norway survived a fantastic open second half in Dallas to advance to the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup, shutting out Cote d’Ivoire thanks to Orjan Nyland’s incredible last-minute save. Leading at half time through a thrilling finish by Antonio Nusa, Norway’s stranglehold on the game was weakened Continue reading "It had to be you. Haaland the difference."
South Africa 0 Canada 1 Stephen Eustaquio fired Canada into the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup with a goal in added time to break a tense and unimpressive deadlock in Los Angeles. The incredible SoFi Stadium hosted the first ever Round of 32 World Cup match, a standalone game that was definitely Continue reading "The round of 32 experience : late joy"
Paraguay 0 Australia 0 Australia marched into the knock-out stages of the FIFA World Cup with a battling draw in Santa Clara confirming second spot in Group D and an exciting trip to Dallas. A game of few chances but plenty of action gave the capacity crowd marvellous theatre, but once both teams had traded Continue reading "Popa’s progress : the grind is real"
USA 2 Australia 0 Master tactician Tony Popovic was left contemplating his selections as the USA romped to a two-goal half-time lead against a hesitant Socceroos team, and there was no magical antidote to the first-half malaise as his misfiring side stumbled to defeat in the Seattle sun. A stupid own goal by Cam Burgess Continue reading "Popa’s Juneteenth nightmare ends in limp defeat"
Canada 6 Qatar 0 Vancouver’s unbelievable FIFA summer continued on Thursday with the host nation Canada welcoming previous hosts Qatar to BC Place for a crucial second pool game. The home team were already two goals up through Cyle Larin and Jonathan David when Homam Ahmed was sent off, ending the game as a contest; Continue reading "A seminal moment in Canadian soccer history"
