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No Suarez, no Falcao for Uruguay-Colombia match

By WTOP Staff

MATTIAS KAREN
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Colombia was already without Radamel Falcao. Now Uruguay is without Luis Suarez.

Instead of a matchup between two of the world’s top strikers, the Round-of-16 game between Colombia and Uruguay at the World Cup will be a test of which team copes best without its talisman.

Suarez was banned by FIFA on Thursday from all football for four months for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Italy in their last group game, a result that sent his team through to the knockout rounds.

That means the World Cup lost one of its best and most colorful players, and Uruguay lost its main scoring threat.

Uruguay struggled badly without him in its opening loss to Costa Rica, when the Liverpool striker remained on the bench as he recovered from knee surgery. Suarez returned to score both goals against England in a 2-1 win, showing just how important he is to the team.

As part of his ban, which covers Uruguay’s next nine games, Suarez isn’t even allowed to enter the Maracana for Saturday’s match.

Colombia has already proven it can cope without Falcao, the country’s biggest star who missed the tournament after failing to recover from a knee injury. Colombia was one of the most impressive teas in the group stages, winning all three of its games and scoring nine goals in the process.

“We know we have done some great work, but we need to keep going,” Colombia forward Jackson Martinez said.

In Falcao’s absence, Monaco playmaker James Rodriguez has stepped up to become the team’s focal point, scoring three goals and setting up two more in the group stage.

“Something really important has taken place,” Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said this week. “I think everyone who knows football knows Falcao. … He is one of the reasons we are playing in this World Cup.

“But the players have reacted in a positive way. For me, as a coach, this proves that my players have a strong character because they have played very well and shown wonderful performances.”

What Uruguay’s reaction to the Suarez ban will be is anyone’s guess. The Uruguay federation has already lodged an appeal.

The team didn’t immediately comment on the ban, but it does have players who can step up — notably Edinson Cavani and Diego Forlan. Cavani scored Uruguay’s goal in the 3-1 loss to Costa Rica, but has been quiet in the subsequent two games. Forlan was named the best player of the 2010 World Cup, but hasn’t shown any of that form when he’s been on the pitch in Brazil so far. Defender Diego Godin has maintained his good form, however, heading in the winner against Italy just minutes after the Suarez biting incident. Godin also scored a vital goal against Barcelona that gave Atletico Madrid the Spanish league title last month, and netted his team’s goal in the Champions League final loss to Real Madrid.

Many of Uruguay’s players have been here before, too. The team reached the semifinals at the 2010 World Cup, while Colombia hadn’t even qualified for the tournament since 1998.

Colombia defender Mario Yepes said before Thursday’s FIFA announcement on the Suarez ban that his team wasn’t worried about whether the striker would be playing or not.

“We are thinking only of our work,” Yepes said. “It is going to be a difficult match, very difficult, because we have had the opportunity of watching Uruguay’s matches during the World Cup, and we have seen it is a difficult team (to play).”

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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