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Captain Kompany ruled out of World Cup group match

By WTOP Staff

RAF CASERT
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — An injury to captain Vincent Kompany saved coach Marc Wilmots one decision ahead of Belgium’s last group match, but may cause him more concern further into the World Cup.

Kompany led Belgium to victories over Algeria and Russia to qualify for the second round with a game to spare, the only blemish being a nagging groin strain that kept the Manchester City captain sidelined for a few days of training.

Barely half an hour into the last training session on the eve of Thursday’s game against South Korea at Sao Paulo, Kompany had to withdraw again and even skipped a planned media appearance.

“He will not be able to play,” Wilmots said late Wednesday, adding that defender Thomas Vermaelen will be out as well with a hamstring injury.

The two injuries “are not very serious but we want to keep them fresh and they won’t play against South Korea.”

Still, Kompany has a long history of injuries, and his absence in the buildup to the second-round game will further raise uncertainties about Belgium’s preparedness for its first knockout game.

Wilmots said Kompany started feeling pain and immediately stopped training, trying to avoid aggravating the injury.

“It hurt a bit and he over-exercised perhaps a bit,” Wilmots said.

Kompany is expected to have several days of special medical care to get ready for the second round.

His injury will likely give Nicolas Lombaerts his first appearance at the World Cup, joining 36-year-old veteran Daniel Van Buyten at the heart of the defense.

For years now, Kompany came to embody the revival of Belgium football, combining skill, brawn and leadership qualities to help push the team into its first World Cup appearance in a dozen years.

On top of the no-shows of Kompany and Vermaelen, Wilmots will also rest midfielder Axel Witsel and defender Toby Alderweireld to make sure they don’t pick up another yellow card.

He insisted, though, there would still be the backbone of his strongest team to face South Korea. The Asian team still wants to make the most of an outside chance to advance.

“We won’t field our B-team against South Korea. I hate that word anyhow,” he said.

Belgium leads the group with six points, ahead of Algeria with three. Russia and South Korea are left with one each and an outside chance to advance.

Belgium only needs a draw against South Korea to finish top of the group and move into a match against the runner-up in Group G — and likely avoid Germany.

Belgium will know exactly what the scenarios are before Thursday’s late kickoff against South Korea.

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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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