Skip to main content

Oscar helps erase doubts about Brazil midfield

By WTOP Staff

TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer

TERESOPOLIS, Brazil (AP) — Everybody knows Neymar is in charge of Brazil’s attack at the World Cup. Now it’s also clear that Oscar is the man commanding the midfield.

Neymar was voted man of the match in the opener against Croatia, but Oscar also received a lot of the praise for his performance, helping erase lingering doubts about who should be playing in the middle for Brazil.

As the hosts prepare to face Mexico in its second Group A match, most people have stopped questioning whether Oscar should be in the lineup, as they were before Brazil made its World Cup debut.

Oscar silenced his critics by scoring a goal and helping set up another in Thursday’s 3-1 win over Croatia in the opener in Sao Paulo.

“Neymar got man of the match, but if there was a second award it should go to Oscar,” Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said after the game. “He was fantastic and that’s the kind of player he is. I have always believed in him.”

Oscar said he was never worried about being benched and knew from the beginning that Scolari trusted him.

“I’ve have always known that Felipao has trust in me, that’s not new,” he said, using Scolari’s nickname. “And I showed on the field that he can keep trusting me. I just have to keep playing as hard as I can to help Brazil get the victories.”

Oscar stole a ball near midfield to set up Neymar’s first goal on Thursday, then found the net with a toe poke from outside the area in a breakaway in second-half injury time.

Oscar had not being playing well before the World Cup, however. He struggled especially in the team’s final warm-up match before the World Cup, prompting talks about him possibly losing his spot to Chelsea teammate Willian, who had been training well during Brazil’s preparations.

“We all know that the national team has good players who can get in at any time,” Oscar said. “It’s not only Willian who can get in, anybody can get in and play well.”

Scolari has been saying that Oscar is a key piece in Brazil’s midfield. He plays in front of defensive midfielders Luiz Gustavo and Paulinho and is the man directly responsible for feeding balls to Neymar, Fred and Hulk in Brazil’s attack.

“I can play in any position,” said Oscar, who recently had to leave Brazil’s training camp for the birth of his daughter. “It doesn’t really matter to me where I play, I just want to help Brazil win this title.”

___

Follow Tales Azzoni on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tazzoni

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote