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Man United buries Galaxy 7-0 in Van Gaal’s debut

By WTOP Staff

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Although Louis van Gaal intends to restore Manchester United to its former international glory, even the veteran coach was impressed when his new club scored a virtual touchdown at the Rose Bowl.

United made an impressive debut under Van Gaal on Wednesday night, with Wayne Rooney scoring twice late in the first half of a 7-0 victory over the LA Galaxy.

Ashley Young and Reece James scored two second-half goals apiece as United opened its summer tour with a surprisingly polished win over MLS’ overmatched Galaxy in the Guinness International Champions Cup.

Van Gaal doesn’t subscribe to the notion that such a friendly is meaningless, not when United have so much work to do this summer.

“I think always the results do matter,” Van Gaal said. “With such a result, you get confidence, and also confidence in a new system. The boys are willing to pick up all the info. We have given a lot of info, but it’s fantastic how they performed today.”

Van Gaal’s tenure got off to a start reflecting the confidence of the veteran manager, who revealed a system similar to the attack of his Dutch World Cup team. The tactics might be unfamiliar to United fans, but they worked splendidly in a stunning start.

“When you see us train, you can expect something, but not 7-0,” Van Gaal said. “That for me was a surprise, and there were some beautiful goals. They scored out of some good attacks.”

Danny Welbeck scored the first goal for Van Gaal, who has had limited work with his new club after leading the Netherlands to a third-place finish in Brazil earlier this month. United still outclassed the Galaxy in the friendly between two of David Beckham’s former clubs.

Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera also made their debuts while United won by a familiar American football score at the Rose Bowl, the venerable college football stadium.

“It was surprisingly good,” said goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, who played the second half. “The first game of a preseason tour is always difficult, and a new manager and a new system could make it more difficult, but it went really well.”

Van Gaal was hired to repair the 20-time English champions after David Moyes’ poor tenure. United finished seventh in Moyes’ only season as Alex Ferguson’s replacement after 26 years, failing even to qualify for Europa League play.

Van Gaal is still adjusting to his new job, but he is already planning to spend more time around Old Trafford next summer. Van Gaal spoke out against lucrative preseason tours this week, saying the lengthy U.S. stay hinders his preparations for the season.

Van Gaal might not like the summer tour, but United got it off to a sparkling start with goals from likely and unlikely sources.

Rooney wasn’t United’s captain, ceding the job to Darren Fletcher, but the England star easily handled his scoring chances. James wasn’t even listed on United’s 25-man roster, but the 20-year-old defender provided two outstanding finishes against the Galaxy’s ragged defense.

“I have nothing but respect for the show that Man United put on,” Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. “Getting punished for mistakes and really getting a lesson on the speed of play, we can actually use it as a positive for them.”

Herrera, the Spanish midfielder acquired from Athletic Bilbao last month, looked sharp throughout the night. United scored its first goal under Van Gaal when Juan Mata set up Welbeck in the 13th minute for a low 25-yard shot off Jaime Penedo’s post.

After A.J. De La Garza was whistled for a handball in the 42nd minute, Rooney easily buried the penalty even though Penedo guessed correctly. Four minutes later, Welbeck’s centering pass went through the legs of Galaxy defender Tommy Meyer, who crumpled to the ground as Rooney walked the gift into Penedo’s net.

James put a sharp side-footed finish on a pass from Young for United’s fourth goal in the 62nd minute. He then scored from distance on a deflection in the 82nd minute before Young capitalized on defensive blunders for two late goals.

The Rose Bowl was largely full for the late-starting friendly, with United supporters easily outnumbering the home team’s fans. Thousands of Mexican fans in the announced crowd of 86,432 likely showed up hoping to see embattled striker Javier Hernandez, but Chicharito stayed on United’s bench.

United’s tour continues Saturday in Denver against AS Roma, followed by matches with Inter Milan in Washington on Tuesday and Real Madrid in Michigan on Aug. 2.

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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