The 16th edition of the traditional tournament for Australian clubs with Macedonian background takes place this weekend starting on Friday.

 

Host this year is famous club Preston Lions, who in September came to Macedonia and played friendly matches with Vardar and Pelister. The tournament will be held at the Genis Steel Stadium (also commonly known as B.T. Connor Reserve) in the Reservoir suburb of Melbourne. Bes8ides the main stadium, there three more pitches that will be used for the tournament that will see 5 different categories. This edition will also feature an All star match.

In this edition the 10 participants of the main tournament are split in two groups of 5 with the top two teams advancing in the semifinals. As usual, matches will be played with 20 minutes each half. Eight times winner Rockdale Ilinden is defending the title and hosts Preston Lions will try to claim it for the first time.

Schedule (all times are local):

Group A

Friday
Preston Lions – Wollongong United at 20.30 at pitch 1

Saturday
Wollongong United – Sydenham Park at 10.40 at pitch 1
Preston Lions – Rockdale Ilinden at 12.20 at pitch 1
Wollongong United – Rockdale Ilinden at 14.00 at pitch 2
Queanbeyan City – Sydenham Park at 14.50 at pitch 1
Preston Lions – Sydenham Park at 15.40 at pitch 2
Wollongong United – Queanbeyan City at 16.30 at pitch 1

Sunday
Rockdale Ilinden – Queanbeyan City at 9.50 at pitch 1
Sydenham Park – Rockdale Ilinden at 11.30 at pitch 1
Preston Lions – Queanbeyan City at 12.20 at pitch 1

Group 2

Friday
Sydney Makedonija – Altona Magic at 19.30 at pitch 1

Saturday
Sydney Makedonija – Shellharbour at 9.50 at pitch 1
Geelong – Cringila Lions at 9.50 at pitch 2
Geelong – Sydney Makedonija at 11.30 at pitch 1
Cringila Lions – Altona Magic at 12.20 at pitch 2
Geelong – Shellharbour at 13.10 at pitch 2
Shellharbour – Altona Magic at 15.40 at pitch 1
Cringila Lions – Sydney Makedonija 16.30 at pitch 2

Sunday
Cringila Lions – Shellharbour at 9.00 at pitch 1
Geelong – Altona Magic at 15.00 at pitch 1

Semifinals

Sunday
Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up at 14.10 at Pitch 1
Group A runner-up vs. Group B winner at 15.10 at Pitch 1

Final

Sunday
winner semifinal 1 vs. winner semifinal 2 at 17.00 at Pitch 1

Plenty Valley Lions, Keilor Wolves, Lalor Sloga and Noble Park will compete in the Division 2.

In the Over 35 tournament will participate the teams of Shepparton, Yagoona Lions, Rockdale Ilinden and Queanbeyan City.

In the Over 45 category there will be Sunshine Lions, Yagoona Lions, Scots Lions and Queanbeyan City.

The U21 tournament will see Preston Lions, Wollongong United, Shellharbour, Sydenham Park, Queanbeyan City, Altona Magic, Cringila Lions, Rockdale Ilinden and Geelong.