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Messi strike delights; French, Swiss win too

By WTOP Staff

RAF CASERT
AP Sports Writer

A breathtaking last-gasp goal; a first for goal-line technology; happy and cheering fans. What else could the World Cup want? Oh yes, a stunning goal by Lionel Messi for Argentina at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The World Cup continues to delight in Brazil, with 37 goals in four days and nine alone on Sunday.

On Sunday evening in Rio, in front of tens of thousands of cheering Argentinian fans. Messi produced a moment of magic to remind a global audience why he is for many the best player in the world. The other player who competes for that title, Cristiano Ronaldo, will appear when Portugal play its first game, a tough clash against Germany, on Monday.

Sunday evening in Rio was reserved for Messi.

The team, tipped to go far at the World Cup, was mediocre but managed a 2-1 victory over debutants Bosnia-Herzegovina. Messi’s shimmering run and a shot that squeezed into the goal off the post gave Argentina a 2-0 lead.

Argentina looked set to turn its opener into a runaway game when a Messi freekick was glanced on and turned into his own goal by defender Sead Kolasinac as early as the third minute.

The Balkan rookies though, held firm until Messi finally awoke from his slumber with the standout second goal. Yet Argentina’s frailties were laid bare five minutes from time when Vedad Ibisevic scored a close-in goal. Iran and Nigeria open their chase of Group F leader Argentina on Monday.

Messi’s 65th minute goal put the seal on the action on the cup’s fourth day, including the first decisive decision by FIFA’s goal-line technology during France’s 3-0 win over Honduras.

The French relied on two goals and a decisive move from Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema to keep pace with Switzerland in Group E. The Swiss turned their match into a real thriller, capping yet another come-from behind win with a breathtaking final-minute goal to beat Ecuador 2-1.

FIFA may have been to blame when France and Honduras had to start their game without anthems, but it made sure its new goal-line technology was working to perfection.

France was already leading 1-0 when Benzema’s shot hit the inside of the post. The ball bounced back along the line before goalkeeper Noel Valladares flailed at the ball and briefly fumbled it over his own line before slapping it out.

It could have been controversy, but technology made it crystal clear, with seven video cameras proving the ball had crossed the line and alerting the referee through his watch.

The technology has been introduced following some disastrous errors in previous tournaments.

Benzema would have preferred scoring it directly since it would have given him the first hat trick of the World Cup after he scored the opening penalty and added a second in the 72nd minute.

“He scored and he was decisive for us,” said France coach Didier Deschamps of the player widely counted on now to take over the leadership role from injured star Franck Ribery.

After four days, goals continue to pour in at a rate of more than three a game. Outside the stadiums too, there were more happy cheers than angry protests, belying early worries that demonstrations would turn the tournament into violent chaos.

Around 200 protesters marched on the Maracana stadium but were largely outnumbered by security. At last year’s Confederations Cup, more than 1 million Brazilians took to the streets in protest in a single day.

An Associated Press video appeared to show a live pistol round being fired by a Brazilian police officer at anti-World Cup protesters near the Maracana around the beginning of the Argentina vs. Bosnia game.

In Brasilia, thousands of fans missed the first part of Switzerland-Ecuador because of long lines to pass through security. FIFA said there had been some “challenges” with the gates allowing fans in, but also blamed Brazilians’ habit of turning up for events at the last moment.

Stoppage time at the end of the match was what really mattered.

With the three minutes of injury time nearly up and Ecuador and Switzerland tied at 1-1, the South Americans broke through with a great chance. Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami however, put in a lunging block in the penalty box on Michael Arroyo.

Then, Behrami sped off, riding a rough tackle, rolling over and recovering the ball to set up the winning move that was finished off by Haris Seferovic.

“How many times are you going to see a chance in one box ending up as a goal in the other,” asked Switzerland defender Johan Djourou. “The effort produced by this team was incredible.”

“Never give up” is quickly turning into the motto of the tournament since 5 of 9 games so far have been come-from-behind victories.

___

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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