1.   Alexi Lalas, Eric Wynalda and Tony Meola led the gutsy American lads in the brave fight to ignite soccer passion in the homeland.

2.   Soccer passion can still overturn political conventions.

3.   The Copa offers bragging rights in a region where soccer passions run deep along the faultlines of history.

4.   To them, the soccer match passions may be the stirrings of an anti-government storm.

5.   Undistracted by his political and business duties, Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday devoted a few hours to his soccer passion, including his club AC Milan.