Everything is ready for the 2018 edition of the traditional tournament for Australian clubs with Macedonian background which is scheduled to begin next Friday.
This year the cup reaches its culmination of popularity as 16 have confirmed their participation, making the group stage easier to arrange. They got divided in four group with each group containing 4 teams. The top two teams will advance into the knock-out stage.
Host clubs are Altona Magic and Sydenham Park with the first celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Maso Cup comes back to Melbourne for the first time since its inauguration ten years ago, in 2008.
Besides in senior competition, the cup will also feature tournaments in Reserve & U20, Over 35 and Women’s. Only Altona Magic, Preston Lions and Geelong have sent women teams. There are three club that participate only in the tournament for players older than 35 (Yagoona Lions, Footscray United and Sunshine Lions) which makes the total number of participating club 19.
The matches will last 40 minutes with 20 minutes each half and a 5 minute half-time break.
The tournament will be opened with defending champions Rockdale City Suns taking on Arncliffe Scots at the main ground of Altona Magic. Due to the high number of matches, two games will take place at the same time on different grounds.
The complete schedule:
Friday, 26 January
16.40 Rockdale City Suns vs Arncliffe Scots (1) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
16.40 Sydenham Park vs Plenty Valley Lions (4) at Altona East
17.30 Bankstown City vs Shepparton (4) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
17.30 Geelong vs Noble Park (3) at Altona East
20.00 Wollongong United vs Lalor United Sloga (3) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
20.00 Broadmeadow Magic vs Keilor Wolves (2) at Altona East
20.50 Altona Magic vs Queanbeyan City (2) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
20.50 Preston Lions vs Cringila Lions (1) at Altona East
Saturday, 27 January
09.50 Shepparton vs Sydenham Park (4) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
09.50 Plenty Valley Lions vs Bankstown City (4) at Altona East
10.40 Lalor United Sloga vs Geelong (3) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
10.40 Noble Park vs Wollongong United (3) at Altona East
11.30 Queanbeyan City vs Broadmeadow Magic (2) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
11.30 Keilor Wolves vs Altona Magic (2) at Altona East
12.20 Arncliffe Scots vs Preston Lions (1) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
12.20 Cringila Lions vs Rockdale City Suns (1) at Altona East
14.00 Bankstown City vs Sydenham Park (4) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
14.00 Shepparton vs Plenty Valley Lions (4) at Altona East
14.50 Wollongong United vs Geelong (3) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
14.50 Noble Park vs Lalor United Sloga (3) at Altona East
15.40 Altona Magic vs Broadmeadow Magic (2) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
15.40 Queanbeyan City vs Keilor Wolves (2) at Altona East
16.30 Rockdale City Suns vs Preston Lions (1) at Paisley Park Soccer Complex
16.30 Arncliffe Scots vs Cringila Lions (1) at Altona East
Synday, 28 January
Quarter-finals
10.00 winner Group 1 vs runner-up Group 3 (W) at Keilor Lodge
10.00 winner Group 3 vs runner-up Group 1 (X) at Keilor Lodge Reserve
11.00 winner Group 2 vs runner-up Group 4 (Y) at Keilor Lodge
11.00 winner Group 4 vs runner-up Group 2 (Z) at Keilor Lodge Reserve
Semi-finals
13.00 team W vs team Z at Keilor Lodge
13.00 team X vs team Y at Keilor Lodge Reserve
Final
16.00 at Keilor Lodge
Rockdale City Suns will aim to win its fourth consecutive title and sixth overall, but this year they will face a high number of candidates for lifting the trophy.
Hall of fame:
2017 Rockdale City Suns
2016 Rockdale City Suns
2015 Rockdale City Suns
2014 Altona Magic
2013 Rockdale City Suns
2012 Bankstown City
2011 Rockdale City Suns
2009 Arncliffe Scots
2008 Altona Magic