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Dutch dazzle World Cup with great win over Spain

By WTOP Staff

RAF CASERT
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — When no one expected it, the Dutch turned on the style with a barrage of spectacular World Cup goals and a 5-1 victory on Friday that totally humiliated defending champion Spain.

Rain and clouds may have shrouded Salvador, but the orange shirts of the Dutch fans brightened up the Arena Fonte Nova as they celebrated one of the Netherlands’ most famous World Cup victories in a rematch of the 2010 final.

Even more so than Brazil’s opening win on Thursday, or Mexico’s rain-soaked 1-0 win over Cameroon earlier Friday, the Dutch put the World Cup on a festive footing.

Fellow veterans Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben produced two superb each and showed the host nation why the Dutch have often been called the Brazilians of Europe.

“It was inexplicable,” said Van Persie, the leader of a team which has come to Brazil carrying few expectations from a nation that has all too often been spoilt for sparkling football. The veterans were thought too old, the rookies too inexperienced.

Players openly said that just avoiding defeat against Spain would be enough, never mind beautiful play. However, the game yet again lived up to its reputation for unpredictability.

“This is why you play football,” the Netherlands’ beaming coach Louis van Gaal said after his disputed move to a 5-3-2 lineup proved a masterstroke.

Spain was always going to try to dominate possession, as in the 2010 World Cup final, but this time the Dutch knew how to hit back.

The defending champion started Diego Costa but the striker was as ineffectual as the rest of the aging team, highlighted by a massive blunder by Iker Casillas that led to Van Persie’s second goal, a symbol of Spain’s fate on an infamous Friday 13th.

“A debacle. We did everything wrong,” said Xavi, at 34 a shadow of his former self in the second half of Friday’s game.

Later Friday, Chile drew level on points with the Netherlands in Group B after beating Australia in a tighter game than the 3-1 scoreline suggests.

The match looked like it might turn into the second rout of the day when Alexis Sanchez poked home from close range in the 12th minute, before setting up Jorge Valdivia to score just two minutes later.

However, Australia pulled a goal back through Tim Cahill in the 35th and kept it close until Jean Beausejour sealed the points for Chile in injury time.

Best news of all? The goals are flying in — with 15 in just four games for an average of 3.75.

The Dutch romp was not the only surprise on the second day of the World Cup. When people around the world expected a sun-soaked tournament, torrential rain dominated Natal and Mexico’s victory over Cameroon, courtesy of a goal from Oribe Peralta that moved the Central Americans level with Brazil in Group A.

Casillas was not the only football star to suffer ignominy on Friday.

Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup both as a player and coach, was banned from football for 90 days by FIFA for not cooperating with a fraud investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. Beckenbauer was the first person to be punished as a result of the investigations.

On the pitch, the day was almost as black for the ashen-faced Vicente Del Bosque, who only four years ago coached Spain to its first World Cup win before following it up with the 2012 European championship title.

Instead it was Spain’s worst World Cup loss since losing 6-1 to Brazil when the tournament was last held here, 64 years ago.

“All of us have to find a way to solve it,” Del Bosque said.

One fact to bear in mind, though: Spain also lost its opening game four years ago before lifting the cup.

On Saturday, the showcase game will pitch England against Italy, while Uruguay faces Costa Rica in the other Group D match.

Group C kicks off with Colombia against Greece.

___

Follow Raf Casert on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/rcasert

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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