The most popular Macedonian diaspora tournament is back in Sidney with the 2015 edition getting underway on Friday.
The tournament’s format has changed a bit this year as the 12 teams will be divided into 3 groups, each consisting of 4 teams. In 2014, there were 4 groups with 3 teams each, while the 2013 edition was the same as this current format, Meanwhile, back in 2012, there were 2 groups with 5 teams due to the fact that only 10 teams participated.
The top 2 teams of each group will advance to the quarter-finals where they will be joined by the best two teams that didn’t finish in the top two (not necessarily the best 3rd placed, but all other teams will be ranked together and the best two (7th & 8th placed overall) will advance).
Just like 2013, the hosts will be Rockdale City Suns and Bankstown City, and the matches will be played at their stadiums (the Ilinden Sports Centre and Jensen Park). Rockdale claimed the trophy last year by beating Wollongong United 4:0 in the final. The same Rockdale is the current favorite to grab their third title, but they will have to contend with Bankstown and Altona Magic.
This edition will be opened with two games beginning at the same time. One will be a replay from the final of 2013 as Rockdale faces Wollongong at the Ilinden Sports Centre, while the other features co-hosts Bankstown meeting Yagoona Lions. All games scheduled for Saturday will be played at the Ilinden Sports Centre, while those on Sunday, including the final, will be at Jensen Park. There is one new debutant as the team of Sunshine Lions will participate for the first time in the Maso Cup.
Here is the complete schedule (all times are local):
Friday, 23 January 2015
20.20 Rockdale City Suns vs. Wollongong United (at Ilinden Sports Centre)
20.20 Bankstown City vs. Yagoona Lions (at Jensen Park)
Saturday, 24 January 2015 (at Ilinden Sports Centre)
10.00 Yagoona Lions vs. Shell Cove Barbarians
10.50 Arncliffe Scots vs. Wollongong United
11.40 Rockdale City Suns vs. Newcastle Suns
12.30 Broadmeadow Magic vs. Queanbeyan City
13.20 Cringila Lions vs. Shell Cove Barbarians
14.10 Altona Magic vs. Sunshine Lions
15.00 Arncliffe Scots vs. Newcastle Suns
15.50 Cringila Lions vs. Yagoona Lions
16.40 Broadmeadow Magic vs. Sunshine Lions
17.30 Wollongong United vs. Newcastle Suns
18.20 Bankstown City vs. Cringila Lions
19.10 Rockdale City Suns vs. Arncliffe Scots
20.00 Altona Magic vs. Queanbeyan City
Sunday, 25 January 2015 (at Jensen Park)
09.00 Bankstown City vs. Shell Cove Barbarians
09.50 Altona Magic vs. Broadmeadow Magic
10.40 Sunshine Lions vs. Queanbeyan City
Quarter-finals
11.30 A1 vs. 7th (W)
12.20 A2 vs. C2 (X)
13.10 B1 vs. 8th (Y)
14.00 C1 vs. B2 (Z)
Semi-finals
15.40 W vs. X
16.30 Y vs. Z
Final
18.10
Hall of fame:
2014 Altona Magic
2013 Rockdale City Suns
2012 Bankstown City
2011 Rockdale City Suns
2009 Arncliffe Scots
2008 Altona Magic