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France clinches top spot in Group E; Ecuador out

By WTOP Staff

JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — France’s much-vaunted attack missed a series of chances as it drew 0-0 with 10-man Ecuador to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup on Wednesday, while the South Americans bowed out of the tournament.

In the other final Group E game, Switzerland defeated 3-0 Honduras to finish in second place behind the French.

France, which ended with seven points, had scored eight goals in two games and 39 in its previous 11. But the finishing on Wednesday lacked sharpness against a spirited Ecuador side which threatened all game on the break.

“I’m proud of what the players have achieved,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “We didn’t take our chances, but that takes nothing away from our joy. We had to be vigilant against an Ecuador side that was quick and looked dangerous even with 10 men.”

A win would have given France three group-stage wins for the first time since 1998 — the year it won the tournament on home soil. That looked odds-on after a 3-0 win against Honduras and a 5-2 rout of Switzerland.

“Some people thought we were the kings of the world,” Deschamps said. “But all matches are difficult. Argentina had a difficult match against Nigeria (winning 3-2). These are high intensity matches and it’s difficult to qualify.”

France next faces Nigeria on Monday.

“It’s a huge satisfaction to finish top, but it’s not over,” Deschamps said. “Nigeria is a solid and quick team, so it will be a very hard match.”

Striker Karim Benzema did well again in his link-up play but should have added to his three goals so far.

“We did well in front of goal in previous games. We had chances but their goalkeeper made some good saves,” Benzema said. “I hope we put them away against Nigeria.”

Ecuador’s chances, meanwhile, were hindered at Rio’s Maracana stadium after Antonio Valencia was shown a straight red card in the 50th minute for raking his studs down the leg of left back Lucas Digne.

But Ecuador may feel upset that France center half Mamadou Sakho was not shown a red card in the eighth minute when he appeared to elbow Oswaldo Minda in the face during a France corner.

“It’s true that I’m a tough player but I respect my opponents,” Sakho said.

Then, in a late incident off the ball, France forward Olivier Giroud jabbed his elbow in to Gabriel Achilier, who was standing behind him.

“Some of the decisions made by the referee did not favor us,” Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda said. “It’s quite regrettable what happened. I believe this is now in the hands of the committee that assesses the behavior of referees. This was not the ideal behavior in many split decisions. I don’t think it’s worth going into that now.”

Deschamps says he “did not see” the incident with Sakho because the “coach’s bench is a bit low.”

Knowing his side was all but assured of advancing, Deschamps made six changes to his starting lineup, but it upset the balance and his new-look defense looked shaky, although the forwards still combined well.

France came closest to scoring when Antoine Griezmann hit the post in the 47th but the goals did not come, despite the hype generated after the Switzerland match.

An inspired Ecuador went close in the 82nd when substitute midfielder Alex Ibarra broke down the right, cut inside center half Raphael Varane, and saw his powerful strike beaten away by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

“It is very tough to play for almost half the match against such a great team, and be a man short,” Ecuador forward Enner Valencia said. “But we almost won.”

Moments later, Benzema played a one-two with Giroud but stroked a casual shot that goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez easily saved.

Dominguez had an outstanding match, denying substitute Loic Remy with a brilliant leaping save in the 87th minute.

Giroud should then have scored in injury time but planted a free header straight into his hands, while Ecuador’s last chance came from a corner as France defended desperately.

___

Lineups:

Ecuador: Alexander Dominguez; Jorge Guagua, Frickson Erazo; Juan Paredes, Cristhian Noboa (Felipe Caicedo, 89), Walter Ayovi, Oswaldo Minda, Antonio Valencia, Michael Arroyo (Gabriel Achilier, 82), Jefferson Montero (Alex Ibarra, 63); Enner Valencia.

France: Hugo Lloris; Bacary Sagna, Mamadou Sakho (Raphael Varane, 61), Laurent Koscielny, Lucas Digne; Paul Pogba, Morgan Schneiderlin, Blaise Matuidi (Olivier Giroud, 67); Antoine Griezmann (Loic Remy 79), Karim Benzema, Moussa Sissoko.

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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