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Real Madrid draws 1-1 with Atletico in Super Cup

By WTOP Staff

HAROLD HECKLE
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — James Rodriguez scored in his Spanish debut as Real Madrid earned a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Super Cup on Tuesday.

Rodriguez came on for Cristiano Ronaldo in the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu and found the back of the net in the 80th minute after he pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area following an attempt by Benzema.

Raul Garcia equalized for Atletico in the 87th from a corner.

Throughout the first half, Atletico held Madrid in check by dominating the midfield with disciplined tackling and ensuring at least two players shadowed forwards Gareth Bale and Ronaldo every time a pass was made to them.

Rodriguez joined Xabi Alonso, Toni Kroos and Angel Di Maria in Madrid’s midfield and was brought on by coach Carlo Ancelotti after Ronaldo had been seen holding and rubbing his left leg late in the first half. Di Maria had come on in the second half for Luka Modric.

“He did well,” Ancelotti said of James. “All the second half the team played with greater speed and intensity, looking for chances from the wings. He scored and that’ll give him more confidence.”

The match was preceded by a tribute to Madrid great Alfredo Di Stefano, who died in July. A string quartet played as the club displayed large photographs of the forward and the silverware he helped win to the crowd.

Tennis player Rafael Nadal, who this week said he will not be defending his US Open title, watched the match from the VIP stand.

“Kroos is an important player and a great signing for Real Madrid,” Nadal said at half time.

Madrid began with captain Iker Casillas in goal. He was tested twice in the first 15 minutes by shots from Saul Niguez and Mario Mandzukic.

Atletico played a physical game throughout and defender Guilhelmo Siqueira was the first to be shown a yellow card after fouling Bale on the right touchline in the 13th minute.

Alonso was booked in the 39th for a clumsy tackle from behind on Atletico’s left winger Jorge “Koke” Resurreccion.

The referee calmed tensions when he punished Sergio Ramos and Mandzukic with a yellow card each in 60th after the two players fell from an aerial challenge with flailing arms.

Atletico’s 30-million euro ($40-million) signing, Antoine Griezmann, came on for Niguez in the 57th minute and Cristian Ansaldi came on seven minutes later for Siqueira.

Rodriguez earned a free kick in the 67th which Bale took and Atletico goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya punched out straight to Kroos, who miskicked and skied the ball.

Kroos then stabbed the ball weakly in the 75th minute, giving Moya an easy catch, and Benzema headed over the bar three minutes later.

Raul Jimenez substituted Mandzukic in the 78th for Atletico and Di Maria came on for Modric to reinforce Madrid’s midfield.

Two minutes after Rodriguez’s goal Casillas saved a shot by Koke and before Garcia equalized for Atletico.

The Bernabeu erupted with protests from its fans as Atletico midfielder Mario Suarez appeared to handle the ball in injury time, but the referee did not award the sought-after penalty.

The second leg is to be played Friday at Atletico’s Vicente Calderon Stadium.

Despite having scored an away goal, Atletico coach Diego Simeone said his team’s chances of winning the cup were still only 50 percent.

“We are going to find ourselves up against a team with many attacking options and very good players,” he said of the second leg.

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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