Eight local teams to try their hand at US Open Cup qualification

Even though this year’s US Open Cup competition still has one more match to play, preparations for the 2019 tournament are well underway. And starting in September, eight Boston-area amateur soccer teams will have a go at qualifying for the competition.

According to US Soccer, Boston City FC II, Boston Siege FC, GPS Omens, Kendall Wanderers, and Southie FC — all from the Bay State Soccer League — along with Stoughton’s Juve-Pro Soccer, Somerville’s Mass United FC and Safira FC from the United Premier Soccer League, will join 87 other amateur teams across the country in the qualifying stages of the competition.

In addition, Connecticut’s amateur state champion, Newtown Price FC, will represent the Nutmeg State in the qualifiers.

The Revolution will join the competition in the fourth round, while Hartford’s new USL team, Hartford Athletic, will join in the second round. None of the local NPSL squads are expected to receive berths due to league positioning; several Massachusetts-based PDL squads are expected to receive berths thanks to league positioning.

In total, five rounds of qualifying are expected between September 2018 and April 2019. The first three rounds will take place before Thanksgiving, with the final two rounds starting up in early March.

First qualifying round matchups, slated for Sept. 22-23, will be announced Monday and are expected to be set up locally to cut down on travel expenses.

Boston City’s NPSL team competed in the 2017 US Open Cup, beating the Western Mass. Pioneers before falling to GPS Omens in the second round. The team slated to take part in the 2019 qualifiers is BCFC's U23 team, which plays in the BSSL.

Kendall Wanderers made its debut in the competition this past spring after winning three rounds of qualifying in the fall of 2017. Wanderers lost to Seacoast United on penalties in May's first-round matchup.

Omens and Southie FC met in the second qualifying round in October 2015 for the 2016 tournament, with Southie winning that match, 4-0. Southie would advance to the first round proper and knock off Seacoast United, 2-0, before falling to Rochester, 7-0, in the second round proper in May 2016.

Siege, Juve-Pro, Mass United, and Safira have never played in any stage of the competition.