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Spain desperate to avoid early exit against Chile

By WTOP Staff

GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Routed in its opening match, Spain aims to avoid an unwanted World Cup hat-trick against Chile on Wednesday.

Another loss after its humbling 5-1 defeat by the Netherlands would almost certainly end Spain’s title defense.

A group-stage elimination would make Spain the third straight European winner of the World Cup to flop in the group stage as defending champion.

“If we don’t win we go home, and the consequences will be brutal,” said Cesc Fabregas, a veteran of Spain’s six-year run as the world’s best national team.

Spain kicks off in mid-afternoon at Maracana Stadium, and should know what is at stake if it hopes to return there on July 13. Earlier Wednesday in Porto Alegre, the Dutch play an apparently over-matched Australia team already beaten 3-1 by Chile.

“After the terrible result against (the Netherlands) we know this is a final for us,” midfielder Xabi Alonso said. “We expect a match filled with intensity.”

Recent World Cup history suggests Spain could have seen this trouble coming.

In 2002, defending champion France exited without even scoring a goal in its group. In 2010, Italy’s title defense also ended early and winless.

The key question for coach Vicente del Bosque is how much loyalty to show his proven title-winners — some of whom looked jaded against slick Dutch counter-attacking.

“It was a very hard defeat to swallow, but it is not a definitive loss,” del Bosque said. “After the match we were very angry with ourselves, but we’re shaking that off. We’re professionals and we have to raise our game in the face of adversity.”

Captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas is in the line of fire, though his potential replacement was injured in training Sunday.

David De Gea of Manchester United strained a leg muscle and should be out for at least 10 days. Pepe Reina of Liverpool is del Bosque’s other option.

Fabregas could return in the “False Nine” role of deep-lying striker which he excelled at in previous tournament triumphs.

“We have to win and we have to try and win by more than one goal, so we’ll have to attack,” said Fabregas, who could replace Diego Costa, his likely teammate at Chelsea next season.

Pedro Rodriguez could also start in place of David Silva, whose missed chance to put Spain 2-0 ahead last Friday was a turning point.

Those changes would still keep a core of 2010 veterans in place, while Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke represents a fresher look.

Among 13 Spain players who faced Chile in the group-stage in South Africa four years ago, 11 are in Brazil and still central to del Bosque’s plans.

Spain won that match 2-1 in Pretoria, getting first-half goals from David Villa and Andres Iniesta.

Chile also has not changed much between World Cups, and nine who played Spain then are available Wednesday, including Arturo Vidal.

Vidal, the creative midfielder from Juventus, is still building fitness after knee surgery and managed one hour against Australia, leaving when Chile’s 2-1 lead was most under threat.

If Vidal is below full strength, speedy forward Alexis Sanchez can compensate against several of his Barcelona teammates.

“I’m worried about the quality of Chile,” del Bosque acknowledged.

___

AP Sports Writer Paul Logothetis in Curitiba, Brazil, contributed to this report

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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