Skip to main content

Timbers rally for 2-2 draw with FC Dallas

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Pa Modou Kah scored in stoppage time and the Portland Timbers rallied for a 2-2 draw with FC Dallas on Wednesday night in the last scheduled game before Major League Soccer takes a break for the World Cup.

Fabian Castillo and Blaz Perez scored for injury-depleted FC Dallas in the first half, but Portland’s Will Johnson narrowed it on a penalty kick in the 79th minute in the chippy match that saw two Dallas players sent off with red cards and an assistant coach ejected.

“We knew that the pressure was coming,” Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said.

Both teams were playing on a short turnaround. Injury-depleted Dallas FC (6-7-4) was coming off a 3-2 victory over Colorado on Saturday.

The Timbers (4-4-8) are winless at home in their last four matches. Portland beat Real Salt Lake 3-1 Saturday, the team’s first victory at Rio Tinto since joining MLS in 2011.

Portland coach Caleb Porter was frustrated that his team keeps conceding goals at home.

“No one wants to step up,” he said. “No one wants to take the bull by the horns and lead this team on the back line.”

Defender Kah returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the RSL match with sore Achilles tendons. Defender Jack Jewsbury was a reserve after starting 12 matches this season.

Dallas has been hit hard by injuries. It was without defenders Matt Hedges and Walker Zimmerman. Midfielders Michel, Mauro Diaz and Hendry Thomas did not play, either.

Rauwshan McKenzie thought he had a goal for the Timbers in the 10th minute, but Johnson was offside.

Castillo put FC Dallas in front with a header toward the box that he chased down himself and buried in the left corner past Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. It was his fifth goal of the season.

FC Dallas made it 2-0 with Perez’s hard boot from out front in the 39th minute. He also has five goals.

Johnson caught Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez out of his goal in the 62nd minute, but the shot sailed over the net. Johnson was able to beat Fernandez on the penalty kick to spoil the shutout.

“Obviously it’s good to come back and get those two goals, but it’s tough because there were so many good chances out there,” Johnson said.

Dallas’ Moises Hernandez and Perez each were sent off with red cards in the final minutes as the match got heated. Dallas assistant coach Josema Bazan was also ejected by the officials for “not behaving in a responsible manner in the technical area.” Bazan appeared to confront a fan after he got a liquid thrown at him.

As time ran out, Castillo headed toward Ricketts and bumped a referee repeatedly. He had to be restrained by teammates.

“We kept fighting against many other factors,” Pareja said.

When asked if his players got frustrated with the match, Pareja responded: “No comment.”

The Timbers held a moment of silence for Emilio Hoffman, the 14-year-old Reynolds High School freshman who was killed Tuesday in a shooting at the school east of Portland. Hoffman was a soccer player and fan who wore No. 29 for the high school team. The Timbers Army supporters group honored Hoffman by waving their scarves in the 29th minute.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote