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Powers can flex muscle at European 2016 qualifiers

By WTOP Staff

STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer

Qualifying for the largest European Championship should be a cruise for the continent’s heavyweights. For once, though, the weaker nations aren’t just there to make up the numbers.

The Euros have been expanded from 16 to 24 teams for the 2016 tournament in France, with the top two countries from nine groups qualifying automatically along with the best third-place finisher. The other eight teams placing third will compete in the playoffs.

It means the so-called lesser nations have been given a rare chance to qualify for a major tournament, and should ensure group play maintains interest and excitement through to the final games.

Except, maybe, for the big teams, some heading into the first round of qualifiers after the demands of the World Cup.

Less than two months after winning the world title, Germany returns to competitive play after a 4-2 exhibition loss to Argentina in a rematch of the final. The Netherlands and Spain also lost exhibitions in midweek.

Some things to know about the start of qualifying for Euro 2016:

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GERMANY’S WAKE-UP CALL

“A wake-up call” was how former Germany defender Per Mertesacker described his country’s defeat Argentina on Wednesday.

The Germans will be determined to atone with a convincing win over Scotland in Group D on Sunday on their first step to what they hope are back-to-back major titles.

“Our next target has to be European Championship final in Paris,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said before the Argentina game.

Loew has to contend with several absentees, including injured midfielders Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Julian Draxler, and defender Mats Hummels.

Thomas Mueller was rested against Argentina and is likely to start in Dortmund.

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SPAIN

Spain’s dominance ended at the World Cup, and the rebuilding job under coach Vicente Del Bosque could take time.

Already down to No. 7 in the FIFA rankings, Spain played France on Thursday in its first match since the tournament in Brazil and lost 1-0 without even having a shot on target.

The golden era is over, with the likes of David Villa, Xavi Hernandez and Xabi Alonso retiring from internationals, and the Spanish could be paying for its over-reliance on core players during their run of three straight major titles.

Spain’s first Euro 2016 qualifier is against Macedonia on Monday, with Ukraine, Slovakia, Belarus and Luxembourg also in Group C.

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HIDDINK HEADACHE

Guus Hiddink’s return as coach of the Netherlands has given him plenty to ponder leading to his team’s first qualifier in Group A, against the Czech Republic in Prague.

Hiddink reverted to the traditional, attacking 4-3-3 formation on Thursday in an exhibition against Italy. His predecessor, Louis van Gaal, had largely abandoned it in favor of a five-man defense at the World Cup, where an inexperienced Dutch team finished an impressive third thanks in large part to its tight defending.

But within 10 minutes in Bari, Hiddink’s team conceded two goals and had defender Bruno Martins Indi sent off. The Dutch managed to hold the score to a 2-0 loss, but Hiddink will want to shore up the defense against the Czechs.

“Great teams don’t lose twice in a row,” Hiddink said.

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HAMMER MAN

Antonio Conte has made a big impact since taking over from Cesare Prandelli as Italy coach.

Italy appeared much improved in its win over the Dutch and players gave a lot of the credit to Conte, a disciplinarian who guided Juventus to the last three Italian league titles.

“He’s a hammer,” said forward Ciro Immobile, who opened the scoring against the Dutch with his first international goal. “He expects a lot from every player and that’s the way it should be.”

Conte’s approach is a drastic turnaround from the leniency afforded by Prandelli, who resigned after the Azzurri’s first-round elimination from the World Cup.

“He could be the best coach around right now, as we saw at Juventus,” midfielder Daniele De Rossi said.

Italy opens Group H qualifying on Tuesday at Norway, which was resolute in a 1-0 loss to England on Wednesday. Striker Mario Balotelli is suspended.

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ENGLAND ON DEFENSIVE

England has been playing like a second-tier international team for a while. Now it has the mindset of one.

Speaking before his opening Group E qualifier at Switzerland on Monday, England coach Roy Hodgson said his team might play on the defensive — as Norway did at Wembley Stadium in a drab 1-0 exhibition win for the English on Wednesday.

“Switzerland will need to beat us, if anything, we might be Norway on Monday,” Hodgson said. “We might be pushed back and can’t attack and dominate for long periods.”

England has lost star quality with the international retirements of Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Hodgson also is missing key players through injury, leaving him with an inexperienced squad.

Hodgson lost his cool after criticism of England’s display against Norway, in which the team had only two shots on target. The pressure is on Hodgson after England won just one point in three matches at the World Cup.

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AND ELSEWHERE

Already qualified as the host nation, France will play exhibitions against the teams in Group I although the results won’t count in the standings. The French face Serbia on Monday.

Tiny Gibraltar, newest member of UEFA, will play its first competitive international when it hosts Poland on Sunday.

As well as the expansion of the tournament, each round of qualifiers will be played over three days and at set times.

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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