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Record crowd sees Man United top Real Madrid 3-1

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Manchester United thrilled a record crowd with a brilliant opening goal — and even Cristiano Ronaldo’s unexpected entrance proved futile for Real Madrid.

Ashley Young scored twice in the first half, and United beat Madrid 3-1 on Saturday in front of 109,318 fans at Michigan Stadium. It was the largest crowd to see a soccer game in the United States, breaking the mark of 101,799 set at the Rose Bowl for the 1984 Olympic final.

Ronaldo has been recovering from the left leg injury that limited him in the World Cup, but the world player of the year came on surprisingly as a 74th-minute substitute, although he didn’t have much impact.

“His condition is improving,” manager Carlo Ancelotti said. “I think that he needs another week to train with the teammates, and then I think he will be ready for the first game of the season.”

United remained unbeaten this year in the International Champions Cup, advancing to the final of the preseason tournament under new manager Louis van Gaal. Javier Hernandez added a goal in the second half for the English power.

Gareth Bale scored for Real Madrid, but the European champions finished winless in three matches in the event.

Although United will play Liverpool in Monday night’s final in Miami, this was probably the tournament’s marquee match, with two of the game’s most storied clubs playing at one of the largest and most iconic venues in the U.S.

“That was incredible,” United’s Michael Keane said. “Obviously, it is the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of, and it is for a friendly in the States. I’ve always heard they don’t care for our football, but there were 109,000 people out there. That’s pretty crazy anywhere in the world.”

Young’s first goal was the highlight. Wayne Rooney flicked a clever back-heel to Darren Fletcher, who found Danny Welbeck in the middle, near the edge of the penalty area. Welbeck played Young in on the left, and his low shot beat goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

“It was a fantastic goal,” van Gaal said. “All the team has touched the ball, I think. Only for that goal, you come to the stadium.”

Bale equalized in the 27th minute, converting a penalty kick after being pulled down by Keane.

Young put United back ahead in the 37th minute, playing a long cross in from the left. Casillas had to maintain his position near the middle of the net because Rooney was a threat to head the ball — but instead it sailed past the star striker and bounced in at the far post.

Hernandez made it 3-1 in the 80th minute, heading past Casillas from close range off a fine cross from Shinji Kagawa.

United is hoping to bounce back from a seventh-place finish in England last season — the team did not even qualify for the second-tier Europa League. Van Gaal is taking over after leading the Netherlands to the semifinals of the World Cup.

“It’s a new system, and we’re getting used to it, but we’re happy with what we’ve done so far,” Young said. “Obviously, it is a great feeling to score two goals, but those were both set up by my teammates. The first one was a beautiful team move.”

Madrid, meanwhile, won a record 10th European title earlier this year, but Ronaldo and his teammates should be plenty motivated after crosstown rival Atletico Madrid won the league title in Spain.

Although Ronaldo played a bit Saturday, several of Ancelotti’s other stars didn’t, including Karim Benzema and newly acquired James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos.

“We can’t be ready, obviously, the way we are. We have players that just joined up a week ago,” Ancelotti said through a translator. “Obviously, the team isn’t necessarily accustomed to playing without Cristiano or some other players, but it’s normal that we’re going through this.”

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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