TALL TASK

Today’s the day, and if it were a prizefight, they’d be billing it as Keller vs. Koller, the Battle of Gelsenkirchen.

In one corner, Kasey Keller, 36, a solid 6 feet 2 and 190 pounds, the most successful goalkeeper in U.S. soccer history, winner of 51 international games out of 93, with 45 shutouts and a goals-against average of 0.744.

This is his fourth World Cup.

“Making the big save, that’s what Kasey is all about,” says U.S. Coach Bruce Arena.

In the other corner, Jan Koller, 33, an intimidating 6 feet 8 and an estimated 200 pounds, the most successful goal scorer in the history of the Czech Republic, with 40 goals in 66 international games, or an average of 0.606 per game, better than one every other match.

Czech Coach Karel Bruckner calls him, “A formidable attacking force.”

Something has to give.

When the United States opens its 2006 World Cup account today against the Czechs in Gelsenkirchen, it will be more than the tale of one striker against one goalkeeper, but the individual matchup is intriguing.

“For the most part, you really try to deny him,” Keller said of Koller. “He has a great way of just muscling himself into great positions. He’s a big, strong, talented footballer with a lot of experience.

“He’s not just this big guy.... He hasn’t scored the 40 goals he has because he’s just some donkey standing out there. He’s a great player.”

And Keller? Listen to teammate Landon Donovan: “He’s crazy,” the midfielder said.

And the evidence for this is?

“The headbanger music he listens to,” Donovan replied. “He’s psycho-man. I wouldn’t want to get him mad, that’s for sure.”

Keller and Koller play in the German Bundesliga, Keller with Borussia Moenchengladbach and Koller with Borussia Dortmund.

Moenchengladbach might be a tongue twister of a name, but Keller said it has the most loyal fans in Germany and today they probably will be in Gelsenkirchen supporting him.

The game will be the most challenging the U.S. has played since it lost to Germany in the quarterfinals of the Korea/Japan World Cup in 2002.

The Czechs have quality on every line -- at goalkeeper, on defense, on midfield and at forward, players such as Koller, Milan Baros, Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky, Tomas Rosicky and Petr Cech are household names in European soccer.

And the Czechs have a wily coach in Bruckner, who is not above spicing the encounter with a little disinformation casually sprinkled about beforehand. Stories coming out of the Czech camp over the last couple of weeks have consistently spoken about injuries or ailments to this starting player or that.

Even on Sunday, word was that Baros would be sidelined today.

Arena is buying none of it.

“If you go by press reports, three or four of their top players are out,” he said. “But I would guess on Monday we’re going to see them all on the field. We’re planning to play who we believe are their best 11 players.”

If the Czechs do field all their stars, then Keller and his back line -- most probably consisting of Steve Cherundolo, Eddie Pope, Oguchi Onyewu and Eddie Lewis -- are in for a testing time.

Someone will have to shadow Koller, and the most likely candidate is the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Onyewu, because he comes closest to matching the Czech striker pound for pound and inch for inch. It might be that Pope and Onyewu will have to double-team Koller, but that would leave too much for Baros, Nedved, Rosicky and others to exploit.

“Don’t worry, we’re not just concentrating on Koller,” Keller said. “We know they are far more than just a one-dimensional team. They’ve got far more than just the big guy up front...

“They’ve got a lot of weapons.”

But it is Koller who poses the biggest concern, if he gets past whomever is supposed to mark him, then Keller has to come up with some heroics. He has done it before.

“How I kind of judge myself, is: ‘Can you come up with the save that helps the team at the right time?’ ” Keller said.

“If you make a penalty save, big deal. But can you do it when you’re winning 1-0, or drawing 0-0 in the 90th minute to help your team pick up a point? So that’s how I judge it.”

Donovan said the players have faith in Keller.

“He gives us ultimate comfort,” Donovan said. “In my opinion, if he’s not the best goalie in the world, he’s in the top three.

“Defenders love him. He’s always talking. He’s always organizing, and he’s making you better.”

The U.S. has to do well today to stand a chance in a group that includes Italy and Ghana.

“This isn’t a season that you’re playing,” Donovan said. “This is a three-game season. So you’ve got three chances to make an impression. It’s very difficult to lose the first game and expect to get through, especially in a tough group like this. So winning has to be our objective.”

Keller, meanwhile, had gone into his customary shell by Sunday. He never talks to the media the day before a game. The questions had to be posed earlier.

Any jitters?

“If you’re not getting yourself a little bit nervous now then you’d better check your pulse,” he replied.

And Koller?

“He doesn’t score every day,” Keller said. “We know that.”