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Brazil faces Mexico with eyes set on 2nd round

By WTOP Staff

TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer

TERESOPOLIS, Brazil (AP) — Brazil plays its second match of the World Cup against old rival Mexico on Tuesday, hoping another victory will be enough to secure a spot in the second round of the home tournament.

After a difficult 3-1 win against Croatia in Thursday’s opener, Brazil has a chance to advance to the round of 16 by beating the Mexicans in the northeastern city of Fortaleza. Mexico also started with a victory, beating Cameroon 1-0, and will similarly be looking to advance from Group A.

The winner of Tuesday’s match will be guaranteed a spot in the next round if Cameroon and Croatia draw their match on Wednesday in the jungle city of Manaus.

“We know it’s going to be another difficult match,” Brazil playmaker Oscar said. “It could decide which team advances to the next round, so it will be like a final again. We know that it will be tough.”

The Latin American rivals have met several times in the last few years, with Brazil winning in the Confederations Cup last year and Mexico coming out on top in the final of the 2012 Olympics, a result that kept a Brazilian team led by Neymar and Oscar from winning the nation’s first gold medal in football.

“That one especially hurt, it was a title we didn’t have,” Oscar said. “We know Mexico has a very good team. It has always created difficulties for Brazil and I’m sure it won’t be any different this time.”

Coincidentally, the Confederations Cup match was also played in Fortaleza, and was also the second game of a group stage. Brazil won 2-0 with goals by Neymar and Jo.

Mexico has won seven of the last 15 matches against the five-time world champion, including two of the last four.

“Every match against Mexico is difficult,” Brazil defender Henrique said. “They have players with a lot of quality. That is always the case.”

One of these quality players is Giovani dos Santos, who had one of his best performances with the national team in the opener against Cameroon.

“I’m happy with how the team has been playing collectively,” Dos Santos said. “I think we are all understanding very well what (coach) Miguel Herrera wants us to do on the field. I see a very strong group and I’m very happy because of that.”

Brazil again will be led by Neymar, who scored twice in the opener. But he also received a yellow card in the match in Sao Paulo, and another would sideline him from the final group stage match.

“I don’t think that will come into play,” Oscar said. “Usually the players marking Neymar are the ones who receive the yellow, not the other way around.”

Both teams had matches with controversial refereeing in the first round, with calls going against Mexico and in favor of the hosts.

Mexico had two goals controversially disallowed against Cameroon, while Brazil won a highly disputed penalty call when striker Fred went down after minimal contact by a defender inside the area.

“There will always be controversial calls in football,” Oscar said. “Sometimes it’s good for one team, sometimes it’s good for another. There has been controversy to start the tournament and I’m certain that there will be more controversy during the rest of the World Cup.”

___

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
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