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Falcao’s absence spoils Colombia World Cup return

By WTOP Staff

FRANK GRIFFITHS
Associated Press

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (AP) — Colombia’s 16-year wait for a return to the World Cup was miserable enough for its supporters. Now they’re coming to terms with a few setbacks before Colombia’s Group C opener Saturday against Greece, including the loss of Radamel Falcao.

The star forward was cut from the squad last week after failing to recover in time from a serious knee injury. While Colombia has other attacking options, Falcao’s exclusion is a psychological blow.

Coach Jose Pekerman described it as his “saddest day” since taking charge of “Los Cafeteros” when he dropped Falcao along with first-choice center back Luis Perea, who was carrying a thigh injury. Then, midfielder Aldo Ramirez was sent home with a foot injury sustained in a training session last week, days after Pekerman announced his final squad.

Falcao, nicknamed “El Tigre,” will be sorely missed. The 28-year-old striker, who joined Monaco from Atletico Madrid, tore left knee ligaments in a French Cup game in January. He was key to Colombia’s successful qualifying campaign, scoring nine goals — a record for the country.

Despite all the bad news, the squad remains optimistic about its chances in a group that also includes Ivory Coast and Japan. Colombia’s main playmaker, James Rodriguez, points out that even without Falcao the team has a strong strike force which includes Carlos Bacca, Teofilo “Teo” Gutierrez and Jackson Martinez.

“The responsibility is weighing on us even more without Falcao, but we’re not alone,” the 22-year-old Rodriguez said. “The attack isn’t going to change. It’s the same. Apart from Falcao, we have Teo, Jackson and Bacca.”

The Greece team considers its opener with Colombia at Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte as the toughest match in the group, and is showing little sign of relief over Falcao’s absence.

“Our aim is to get out the group,” defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos said. “That would be a very big achievement for us … the first match is the one that gives you strength or disappointment.”

Greece broke a three-game scoring drought with a 2-1 win over Bolivia in friendly played in New York last week. Goal scorer Costas Katsouranis said the result showed his team was improving despite some trouble with finishing chances.

“I think we will be better against Colombia,” he said. “For sure, there will be difficult conditions. It’s hot and it’s humid, so it’s hard to know how that will affect us.”

It’s also unclear how Greece’s late arrival in Brazil might affect the team’s preparations for the first match. Greece arrived a day late after a flight cancellation in the United States, and FIFA had to step in to help the team reach its base in Aracaju.

“We had some problems during our arrival here, but now everything is perfect,” Greece midfielder Yiannis Maniatis said.

Coach Fernando Santos acknowledges that Greece isn’t a high-scoring team, but is confident the goals will come when needed.

“What I’m happy about is that we’re creating more chances,” Santos said. “We’re in a group where any of the teams could qualify, but I do believe we will make it through.”

Santos believes striker Kostas Mitroglou will be ready despite his lack of game time since moving to England at the start of the year to join Fulham, which has been relegated from the Premier League. Santos also selected veteran players, including 2004 European Championship winners Katsouranis and captain Giorgos Karagounis.

Colombia, playing in its first World Cup since 1998, is keen to make up for lost time. But the South Americans are aware that Greece has the propensity to surprise in international tournaments, like it did at Euro 2004.

“Greece is a difficult rival,” right back Santiago Arias said. “We have to concentrate on our lines … We have everything we need to have a good World Cup.”

___

Associated Press writer Derek Gatopoulos and Demetris Nellas contributed to this report from Athens, Greece.

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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