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Spain hopes to reverse Maracana luck vs Chile

By WTOP Staff

PAUL LOGOTHETIS
AP Sports Writer

CURITIBA, Brazil (AP) — The Maracana is not filled with many fond memories for Spain, whose World Cup title is on the line at the iconic football stadium.

Spain returns to the Maracana for Wednesday’s must-win match against Chile nearly one year after a 3-0 defeat to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final.

Spain’s 5-1 loss to the Netherlands to open Group B was its heaviest competitive defeat since a 6-1 defeat to Brazil at the famed stadium in Rio de Janeiro at the 1950 World Cup.

Spain isn’t letting its poor history at one of the sport’s most storied settings become a distraction, however, as it looks to reverse its poor start.

“The Maracana is mythical, but the only wish is for the result to be completely different from last year’s Confederations Cup final and we can win,” Spain midfielder Juan Mata said.

Spain can take heart from two victories at the Maracana during the 1950 World Cup, 1-0 against England and 2-0 against Chile.

Spain now needs to repeat that win over Chile, but preferably with an even bigger scoreline to make up for its poor goal differential.

“It’s a stadium with so much history, and we’ve played there already. It’s an important place and hopefully that can work in our favor,” said forward Pedro Rodriguez, who many expect to replace David Silva in the starting lineup on Wednesday. “What’s clear is that we cannot afford to fail.”

Spain will also have to deal with another change in temperature as it goes from the cool, winter weather of its training base in Curitiba to the warmer, muggier confines of Rio de Janeiro. The team tired in the humidity of Salvador against the Dutch.

“We’ll adapt to the change of temperature, I don’t think it will affect our chances,” Pedro said.

Mata also thought the team would have enough time to adapt after traveling to Rio late Monday.

“We’re happy training here, and I don’t think just because the temperature will rise a few degrees will be a determining factor or an excuse,” he said.

Spain has tended to start recent tournaments slowly, losing to Switzerland in its 2010 World Cup opener before drawing against Italy in its first Euro 2012 game. But both times it went on to lift the trophy.

This time, however, it finds itself in an uphill struggle in perhaps the tournament’s toughest group.

Pedro said Spain would be keeping an eye on his Barcelona teammate Alexis Sanchez, who guided Chile to its opening 3-1 victory over Australia.

“Alexis is the big star of that team, he assumes responsibility for leading it,” Pedro said. “His role at Barcelona is different. Chile relies on him more, and he had a great season and scored a lot of goals.”

___

Follow Paul Logothetis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulLogoAP

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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