Skip to main content

World Cup quarters for Costa Rica or Greece

By WTOP Staff

GERALD IMRAY
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — This World Cup just got a whole lot easier for Costa Rica. According to the rankings, anyway.

Having left former champions Uruguay, Italy and England behind to sensationally win their group — one of the toughest at the World Cup — the Costa Ricans line up against their lowest-ranked opposition so far in Greece in the second round on Sunday.

It surprisingly has Costa Rica finding itself the favorite for a place in the quarterfinals. That’s certainly a new situation for the small Central American country which arrived hoping to avoid finishing last in a group of supposed powerhouses and now has a chance to be in the last eight of the whole tournament.

“We were the Cinderella and now we are favorites. That’s respect and we earned it,” Costa Rica defender Michael Umana said.

Costa Rica came through with a succession of shocks, beating 2010 semifinalist Uruguay 3-1, stunning 2006 winner Italy 1-0 and then not having to stretch itself in a 0-0 draw with England. No one can accuse the team of having it easy and yet it’s unbeaten and hasn’t conceded a goal at the World Cup since the 24th minute of its opening game.

Because of that, Greece, a former European champion, appears happy to accept the underdog role for the last 16 game at Recife’s Arena Pernambuco.

“At this stage, everyone is considered an opponent who is better than us,” Greece midfielder Lazaros Christodoulopoulos said.

Costa Rica’s expectations have sky-rocketed, not just because of the results but the way they earned them. It progressed from the group stage for the second time and first since 1990, doing it with panache and attacking verve and with forwards Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz leading from the front.

“What we have accomplished is now part of history but there are still some chapters left and we want a happy ending,” Costa Rica director of national teams Adrian Gutierrez said. “We know that this team has a ceiling but we still haven’t seen it.”

Campbell, especially, has been a revelation — helped, maybe, by his loan to Greek club Olympiakos from England’s Arsenal. The striker, who turned 22 on Thursday, could play against up to four of his Athens club teammates this weekend.

“I don’t think I’ll be giving him a call,” Greece midfielder Andreas Samaris said of contacting his club mate before the game. “But if I did, I’d wish him the best of luck and then tell him his team is going to lose.”

If Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto is honest, Greece is probably the team he would have chosen to play out of the other 15 in the knockouts. In fact, both teams could argue they’ve had a lucky draw.

“Sure, I would choose Costa Rica over some other teams,” Christodoulopoulos said, “but what Costa Rica has done is a miracle.”

While Costa Rica has been flying high from the start, Greece has taken a little time to get going. The Greeks scored their first goals of the World Cup in their last group game and secured qualification at the very end via a hotly-disputed injury-time penalty from Georgios Samaras against Ivory Coast.

Greece prides itself on defensive solidity and a more measured approach, but it’s a team that is completely comfortable with its style and unafraid to play to its strengths.

“Our tactics have been the same in all the games: To stay tight in defense to contain the opponents and stay dangerous in attack,” Greece coach Fernando Santos said. “The mistaken perception is to think that every team should play like Brazil or Barcelona, but they have the characteristics to play that way. … But we are Greece.”

Those tactics have worked before. Costa Rica should be aware that Greece has its own fairytale, when the team surprised everyone to win the 2004 European Championship. Veteran midfielders Giorgios Karagounis and Kostas Katsouranis were part of that triumph a decade ago and are looking for one final football memory here in Brazil.

Neither country has ever gone to the World Cup quarterfinals. One of them will now.

___

AP Sports Writer Carlos Rodriguez in Santos, Brazil and Associated Press writer Derek Gatopoulos in Fortaleza, Brazil contributed to this report.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote