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Algeria into 2nd round after 1-1 draw with Russia

By WTOP Staff

PAN PYLAS
Associated Press

CURITIBA, Brazil (AP) — For the Algeria squad, this has been a tournament of breaking new ground.

First, Algeria won its first World Cup match since 1982 — a 4-2 victory over South Korea, and then on Thursday it qualified for the knockout stages for the first time.

Islam Slimani’s 60th -minute headed equalizer was enough to gain his team a 1-1 draw against Russia and the one competition point it needed to place second in Group H behind Belgium.

Now, Algeria has another 32-year anniversary on its radar.

On Monday, the Algerians will meet Germany in the Round of 16 in Porto Alegre.

The teams haven’t met since 1982 when Algeria beat West Germany, one of the tournament favorites, with Lakhdar Belloumi memorably stroking home the winner. Though it went on to win another game in that tournament, Algeria failed to qualify for the second round of the World Cup after West Germany and Austria played out a result that suited both of those teams.

The European teams, meeting a day after Algeria had won its last group game, knew that a 1-0 win for West Germany would put both through to the second round at Algeria’s expense.

Qualification for the second round in Brazil finally allows the team from north Africa to move on from one of the World Cup’s most contentious episodes.

And the relief was certainly evident in the celebrations on the pitch.

Qualification prompted mass celebrations in the packed Algerian section in Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, and on the pitch among the players. Even the combative coach, Vahid Halilhodzic, was hugging staff and players and shaking his head in apparent disbelief.

“I’m very proud of what we achieved tonight,” Halilhodzic said. “I think Algeria played a heroic match and our qualification is perfectly deserved.”

Algeria had to come from behind to get through. Russia, needing a win to advance, went on the attack from the start and dominated the first half with its intricate and swift passing movements through midfield. The Russians took the lead in the 6th minute when Alexander Kokorin powerfully headed in a left-foot cross from Dmitry Kombarov.

Slimani’s equalizer came after Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev failed to catch a swinging left-foot free kick from Yacine Brahimi. That was the second costly error that Akinfeev has made in the tournament for Russia, though there were indications on the TV broadcast that a green laser was being shone toward the goalkeeper just before the free kick was taken.

Russia coach Fabio Capello said his goalkeeper was “blinded by the laser beam.”

Halilhodzic said he saw nothing.

“I think it’s something that we can discuss in a restaurant, in a bar, now let’s talk about a game that was very demanding,” he told a post-match news conference.

Halilhodzic said he told his team at halftime not to panic after Russia’s strong start to the game. Before Algeria’s equalizer, Russia had chances to double its lead. The most notable chance came in the 26th minute when Oleg Shatov weaved through the Algeria midfield but his right-foot shot drifted wide of the Algeria post.

In the second half, midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, man-of-the-match Slimani, and Brahimi all worked hard to help neutralize much of Russia’s attack.

“During the first half Russia used its experience, the way they controlled the game, the way they organized themselves, my players were a bit naive but once again this Algeria team has a lot of margin to progress and I suspect that we can go a lot better maybe in the next round against Germany,” he said.

History could be on his side. As well as beating West Germany in 1982, Algeria won their previous encounter in 1964.

___

Lineups:

Algeria: Rais Mbolhi, Essaid Belkalem, Djamel Mesbah, Aissa Mandi, Rafik Halliche, Sofiane Feghouli, Yacine Brahimi (Hassan Yebda, 71), Carl Medjani, Islam Slimani (El Arabi Soudani, 90), Nabil Bentaleb, Abdelmoumene Djabou (Nabil Ghilas, 77).

Russia: Igor Akinfeev, Alexei Kozlov, Dmitry Kombarov, Vasily Berezutskiy, Sergei Ignashevich, Denis Glushakov (Igor Denisov, 46), Viktor Faizulin, Oleg Shatov (Alan Dzagoev, 67), Alexander Samedov, Alexander Kokorin, Alexander Kerzhakov (Maxim Kanunnikov, 81).

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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