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Optimism for England despite opening with loss

By WTOP Staff

ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — Rarely has a loss provided so much optimism for England.

Even though England made a losing start to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years on Saturday, the team looked fearless and lively going forward and showed glimpses of a bright future in the 2-1 defeat to Italy.

Rather than sending out his team for a draw, Roy Hodgson was far from cautious. Hodgson knew the clamor back home was for England to be bold, and the coach was adventurous in the Amazon — picking 19-year-old winger Raheem Sterling in an attack-minded lineup.

In short, this England team was everything the 2012 version was not in the quarterfinal loss to Italy at the European Championship.

“We got criticized two years ago for sitting back and being a bit toothless really, but I think anybody who watched that game could see that we were trying to create,” captain Steven Gerrard said. “We pushed and pushed and gave it everything we’ve got and we were unlucky not to get anything out of it.”

Although Daniel Sturridge leveled within two minutes of Claudio Marchisio putting Italy in front in the first half, England couldn’t come back again after Mario Balotelli headed the Azzurri in front in the 50th minute.

“None of those players let me down today or let the country down,” Hodgson said. “They did what we were hoping they would do except score the equalizing goal.”

But if the English can reproduce spells of attacking vivacity against on Thursday against Uruguay, which slumped to a surprising 3-1 loss to Costa Rica on Saturday, then a place in the round of 16 is not out of reach.

Especially if Sterling is as agile with his mazy runs as he was against the Italian defense.

“He got on the ball, he was confident taking players on — he was outstanding,” said Liverpool teammate Jordan Henderson, who won his 12th England cap on his World Cup debut.

Had the strikers’ showed more cutting edge, particularly Wayne Rooney, who is yet to score a World Cup goal, then it could have been a different ending.

“Maybe we have to look at trying to finish a few more chances off, but we can’t point any fingers because everyone has given everything tonight,” Gerrard said. “The effort, desire and commitment was there and we were unlucky not to get anything out of it … but it just goes to show at this level how cruel it is. You try so hard and come away with nothing.”

One area that looks susceptible for England still is in defense. For Italy’s winner, Antonio Candreva swept past Leighton Baines too easily down the right flank, and Balotelli evaded Gary Cahill with ease at the far post to head past goalkeeper Joe Hart.

“You can’t cover when you are going forward as much as we were going forward,” Hodgson said.

What Hodgson has in abundance are creative players who can make an impact from the bench. In the heat of Manaus, though, Jack Wilshere, Ross Barkley and Adam Lallana couldn’t produce that decisive touch to set up the strikers to rescue a point.

Losing an opening game isn’t such a setback at a World Cup. England advanced to the quarterfinals in 1986 after opening the tournament by losing to Portugal.

“We are still not out of this group,” Gerrard said. “No matter what the result was tonight, I think we still would have had to go and beat Uruguay. The challenge is more difficult, but it’s certainly do-able.”

Even Italy coach Cesare Prandelli backs England’s chances to progress in Brazil.

“England is one of the strongest teams at the World Cup,” Prandelli said through a translator. “We don’t have players who are as explosive and powerful as England.”

___

Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris

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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