BY RIDGE MAHONEY in Pasadena, Calif. USA-SOUTH KOREA (Saturday, 3 pm PT, 6 pm ET, TV: Pay-per-view). Projected U.S. lineup (4-4-2): Keller; Hejduk, Califf, Agoos, Bocanegra; Donovan, Armas, Lewis, Lagos; McBride, Razov. A closed-door practice the day before the game, the coach dismissing talk of systems and formations, an undisclosed lineup. Even as he ridicules the very idea of a USA-South Korea meeting portending their showdown in the World Cup June 10, Coach Bruce Arena is treating the game in his usual manner. Lock down the Rose Bowl and let not the lineup fall into the wrong hands! A few hours before the U.S. went through their final training session — with no observers allowed — prior playing South Korea in the CONCACAF Gold Cup opener for both teams (Saturday, 3 pm PT, 6 pm ET, Live TV: pay-per-view), Arena let fly. “If we win by 10 goals or they win by 10 goals, it will have no impact on our game in the World Cup,” he told a group of journalists. “None whatsoever.” But if this game does lend an advantage to either team down the road, it would be the United States. South Korea has brought all but a few of its top players, while many of the American starters are bound to their European teams and are not playing in this tournament. “Where it may help us out is we’ll know a lot more about them than they know about us,” said U.S. defender Jeff Agoos, who played in the Korean resort town of Seogwipo last month when South Korea beat the U.S., 1-0. “They press a lot, they’re good at getting numbers around the ball and trying to force you into making mistakes. They were playing at home in their new stadium and got a goal in the first half, but in the second half we found our legs created some chances.” That game came at the end of a long season of club play and World Cup qualifying for the Americans. The rematch marks the beginning of a World Cup year; Arena’s players are refocused and revived. “It’s the start of the year,” said midfielder Chris Armas, whose anchoring of the center will be a vital component. “You have your legs back, a lot of energy, and the group knows each other better than in December.” Those European-based players that have been brought in figure to start, and each is in the same situation: win a spot on the U.S. World Cup squad for June while rooted on the bench. Eddie Lewis (English club Fulham) and Frankie Hejduk (German club Bayer Leverkusen) have plummeted so far down the depth chart they played a grand total of 160 minutes for the U.S. last year. Keeper Kasey Keller, after being given a few starts by Tottenham coach Glenn Hoddle, is back to being the backup and thus was released for the Gold Cup. Keller will start in goal against South Korea. Hejduk is expected to start at right back and Lewis is penciled in as the left-sided midfielder. The absence of David Regis (with club team Metz) and Greg Vanney (on loan to Bastia) leaves a hole at left back. In the second half in Seogwipo, Carlos Bocanegra debuted in that spot but also slid inside to exchange positions with Agoos. The center of the defense is thin as well. Eddie Pope has not fully recovered from offseason surgery and is not on the 18-player squad for the Gold Cup. Former Olympian Dan Califf could gain his first international cap alongside Agoos in the middle. Midfielder Manny Lagos, who also debuted in Seogwipo, has trained centrally as well as on the left side, where he performed superbly for MLS champion San Jose last season. Lagos is expected to share midfield playmaking duties with Landon Donovan as a somewhat fluid attacking midfield duo. Brian McBride — who struggled with injuries and a mysterious blood clot in the past 18 months — and Ante Razov are the projected starters up front. “I’ve only played one game in the last six months,” said McBride, who played in only five of 15 U.S. games in 2001 and scored just one goal. “I think I’m getting there, I’m getting sharper. “It’s difficult when you’re not in the team and think you can contribute. A lot of the players here are in the same position, and the South Korea game is one of the chances we have left to show what we can do.”