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Van Persie has stomach complaint ahead of semi

By WTOP Staff

MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Dutch captain and all-time top scorer Robin van Persie is in doubt for the World Cup semifinal against Argentina after succumbing to a stomach problem.

Van Persie trained separately on Tuesday with defender Daryl Janmaat and coach Louis van Gaal said both were suffering “stomach and intestinal problems.”

Van Gaal said he would not rush into deciding whether Van Persie is fit to play at Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao Stadium against the Lionel Messi-led Argentina.

“I have to make a decision tomorrow. I’m not going to do that today. We have more than a day,” Van Gaal said. “Van Persie is a very important player for us.”

Van Persie scored three times in the first two Dutch matches of the World Cup, including a spectacular diving header against defending champion Spain that was instantly hailed as one of the goals of the tournament.

But the Manchester United striker has struggled to hit the same rich vein of form since being suspended for the Netherlands’ last Group B match after picking up two yellow cards.

Against Argentina, the prolific striker is looking to break a remarkable drought for a player of his caliber — he has never scored in the knockout stage of a major tournament.

In potential good news for the Dutch, midfield enforcer Nigel de Jong trained Tuesday and could play against Argentina, depending on how he feels Wednesday.

There were fears De Jong’s World Cup was over when he limped off early in the first half of the second-round match against Mexico and tests confirmed the day after the come-from-behind 2-1 victory that he had torn a groin muscle. The team said he was likely out for two to four weeks, but De Jong battled back.

Van Gaal said the AC Milan midfielder would be checked Wednesday for possible adverse reactions to his training session, “and if they are such that he can play then a miracle will have happened.”

Center back Ron Vlaar also returned to full training after injuring his knee in the penalty shootout victory over Costa Rica in the quarterfinals.

Van Gaal said he has developed a plan to beat Argentina in a semifinal that is a rematch of the 1978 World Cup final the Dutch lost 3-1 in extra time.

But the master tactician, who has just two more matches in charge of the Netherlands before joining Manchester United after the World Cup, said it could change on Wednesday depending on how the Argentinians play.

If the Dutch beat Argentina, they face Germany — the country that beat the Netherlands in the 1974 final — in the championship match at Rio’s Maracana Stadium after the Germans humiliated Brazil 7-1 in the first semifinal.

Van Gaal has been nothing if not flexible with his tactical formations and substitutions at this World Cup. He has switched between a defensive 5-3-2 system and traditional Dutch attacking 4-3-3 formation, moved striker Dirk Kuyt to his defense and, most remarkably, substituted in bigger goalkeeper Tim Krul for Jasper Cillessen a minute before the end of extra time against Costa Rica because he figured Krul was a better penalty stopper.

So far, all Van Gaal’s changes have worked out.

Despite Krul’s shootout heroics — he dived the right way for every Costa Rica penalty and stopped two of them — Cillessen will again start for the Dutch, Van Gaal said.

Van Gaal said the match was too close to call.

“I don’t think there’s a favorite,” he said. “In the semifinals, the teams are each other’s equals.”

And while Van Gaal said the Dutch were playing the entire Argentine team, he acknowledged they will have to find a way to stop Messi.

“If you score so many goals, you have something extra. And he always shows it on the biggest stages,” Van Gaal said. But he added, “he has sometimes had problems for the national team. He wants to change that and we want to make sure he doesn’t.”

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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