PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - Team officials say it is too early to know whether the Czech Republic's most prolific international striker, Jan Koller, will recover from a knee injury in time to play at the World Cup.

"It's too soon to say at the moment," Czech national team spokesman Lukas Tucek said Friday. "He's exercising, that's all we know."

The Dortmund striker had been expected to be sidelined for eight months after tearing ligaments in his left knee during a Bundesliga match in September.

In a recent interview, Koller said there was a 50 per cent chance of him being fit for soccer's showcase, which begins in Germany in June. He said a decisive medical check was planned for the beginning of May.

Koller has 40 goals from 66 games in the national jersey. He scored nine goals in the Czech Republic's World Cup qualifying campaign.

Coach Karel Bruckner earlier called his absence "the biggest loss."

Although Czechoslovakia - which split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993 - played in the World Cup finals several times, the Czech Republic has qualified for the first time.

The Czechs will open the tournament against the United States on June 12, then plays Ghana on June 17 and Italy on June 22.