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Ronaldo upstaged by Messi once again at World Cup

By WTOP Staff

STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Coming off his most successful season at club level, this was supposed to be the World Cup where Cristiano Ronaldo underlined his new-found superiority over great rival Lionel Messi and his status as the game’s best player.

It hasn’t quite worked out that way.

Hindered not just by a left leg injury but also the poor quality of the Portugal teammates alongside him, Ronaldo exits the World Cup with one goal and some below-par performances — by his standards — from three group matches.

His lone goal was the winner in a 2-1 victory over Ghana on Thursday that failed to stop Portugal slipping out of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Messi has led Argentina into the last 16 with four goals, the joint-highest tally at the World Cup. After losing his FIFA Player of the Year crown to Ronaldo, Messi is set to have the last laugh in Brazil.

Ronaldo cut a thoroughly frustrated figure during and after the Ghana match.

Throwing up his arms, kicking fresh air and often standing with his hands on his hips, the Real Madrid superstar didn’t hide his unhappiness with his teammates.

But they weren’t solely to blame — in the white of Madrid, Ronaldo has been slotting away the kind of gilt-edged chances that fell to him at Brasilia’s Estadio Nacional.

There was a header from six yards out in the 19th minute that, although well-saved by goalkeeper Fatawu Dauda, should have been dispatched. Then came two more clear openings for Ronaldo in second-half injury time, one he bundled over the bar and the other he shot straight at Dauda in a one-on-one chance.

“We created many opportunities but we could not finish them,” Ronaldo said.

After scoring what proved to be the winning goal, Ronaldo simply turned round and trotted back to the halfway line. Rarely can a winner have been celebrated with such little joy.

When the final whistle was blown, Ronaldo — with his head down — made a hasty retreat toward the tunnel, only to run into a number of Ghana squad members who shook hands and embraced the Portugal captain.

Accepting his man-of-the-match award, Ronaldo — with strapping around his right knee and moving gingerly — barely raised a smile.

“We are leaving with our heads held high,” Ronaldo said. It didn’t appear that way.

Save for the World Cup, Ronaldo has had a career-best season. The stats tell it all.

The Champions League’s top scorer for the second straight season, with his 17 goals setting a new record for a campaign. His successfully converted penalty in the final against Atletico Madrid was his 51st for Madrid in all competitions. In La Liga, he scored 31 times, making him the Europe’s top league scorer alongside Liverpool’s Luis Suarez.

At international level, he scored all four of Portugal’s goals in the aggregate playoff win over Sweden to secure a place at the World Cup, including a sizzling hat trick in the second leg.

To top it all off, he became world player of year in January, regaining the accolade he won for the first time in 2008.

So why the dip in standards at the World Cup?

Firstly, and possibly most crucially, he arrived in Brazil hampered by tendinitis and a muscle injury in his left leg. He was seen needing ice packs on his knee during training sessions and concerns lingered about his level of fitness after a largely ineffective performance against Germany in a 4-0 loss.

Fans had to wait until the fifth minute of injury time in Portugal’s second match, against the United States, for Ronaldo’s first noteworthy contribution at the World Cup. A pinpoint, curling cross allowed Silvestre Varela to head in the equalizer for a 2-2 draw that kept Portugal in the tournament.

It proved to be a false dawn.

Ronaldo acknowledged after that match the limitations of his national side.

“We’re probably just an average team,” Ronaldo said. “I’d be lying if I said we were a top team.”

According to FIFA, Portugal is currently the fourth best team in the world. Take Ronaldo out and the Portuguese would drop significantly down those rankings.

A lack of a potent striker, to complement Ronaldo, has been their problem for a decade and there doesn’t appear to be a solution.

So, Ronaldo must continue shouldering the burden of his country’s national team. But he won’t be doing it in Brazil any longer.

Back home in Madrid, he’ll simply be watching as Messi — his nemesis — looks to guide Argentina to World Cup glory and underscore his name in football’s pantheon.

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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