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Disclaimer: WPS roster reports last year were…how do I put this…? A little less than accurate at times. So as always, this team news is probably right but not guaranteed to be.

Atlanta Beat vs Boston Breakers – Saturday, 7:00 PM EST

The Beat should have most of their first team available for selection for Saturday’s season opener. Heather Mitts seems to have come through preseason OK after struggling with a hamstring injury for much of preseason, while Carli Lloyd figures to start from the bench after missing most of preseason on international duty. Lauren Sesselmann is suspended after being sent off in last season’s season finale, while Katie Bethke and Angela Salem are both out injured. No fewer than seven players could make their professional debuts for the young Beat.

Atlanta Beat (from): Whitworth (GK), Dowling, Mitts, Reynolds, Whitehill, Chalupny, Trotter, Wright, Jesolva, Larsen, Lenczyk, Lipsher (GK), Fraine (GK), Flanagan, Marquez, D’Agostino, Lloyd, Strnadova

Boston begins to deal with the reality of a likely ongoing lineup shuffle already missing a pair of their U.S. internationals as Amy LePeilbet and Lauren Cheney have been ruled out of the opener. Additionally, Rachel Buehler is listed as questionable and may have to settle for coming off the bench, if at all for Tony DiCicco’s Breakers. Stephanie Cox is fit to start though as are English internationals Alex Scott and Kelly Smith. Elli Reed could be in line for a professional debut after being added late to Boston’s roster after being released by Western New York. Portland teammate Keelin Winters also looks to make her full debut for the Breakers in midfield. Katie Schoepfer looks to be preferred to start in attack over Nikki Washington.

Boston Breakers (from): Naeher (GK), Cox, Dieke, Scott, Reed, Osborne, O’Hara, Winters, Angeli, Schoepfer, Smith, Davis (GK), Moore, Buehler, Cross, Hemmings, Washington

Sky Blue FC vs Philadelphia Independence – Sunday, 6:00 PM EST

Jim Gabarra has few issues to worry about ahead of his debut as Sky Blue FC manager, although the club were rocked by the likely loss of reserve rookie defender Lindsey Johnson to a serious knee injury. The only other worry is the absence of new Spanish signing Adriana, listed simply as unavailable in the roster report. U.S. internationals Heather O’Reilly and Tobin Heath are not listed on the injury report and have a chance at featuring from the beginning.

Sky Blue FC (from) – Bardsley (GK), Asante, Dew, Fletcher, Taylor, Heath, Long, O’Reilly, Sjogran, Aluko, Nogueira, Branam (GK), Dallstream, Johnson, Wenino, Blank, Kerr, Kalmari

Independence boss Paul Riley faces major selection woes ahead of his side’s first match in 2011. The offense must deal with the injury absence of Danesha Adams, while Veronica Boquete is still tied up with club duty in Europe. Gina DiMartino, and surprisingly, Holmfridur Magnusdottir are healthy scratches for Philly, while Amy Rodriguez is not listed in the injury report. In defense, Allison Falk misses out through injury, while neither of rookies Lauren Fowlkes or Lauren Barnes features on the travelling roster. Highly touted rookie Sinead Farrelly could be in line for her full professional debut in midfield for the Independence though. The club’s other U.S. internationals, Nicole Barnhart and Megan Rapinoe are also not among those on the injury report.

Philadelphia Independence (from): Henderson (GK), Johnson, Krzysik, McNeill, Robinson, Lohman, Lindsey, Rapinoe, Farrelly, Kai, Rodriguez, Barnhart (GK), Buczkowski. C. DiMartino, del Rio, Sanderson

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