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World Cup heads to jungle for England vs. Italy

By WTOP Staff

CHRIS LEHOURITES
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The heat and humidity will be a factor, and so will the poor playing surface, when the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus hosts England and Italy in its first World Cup match on Saturday.

The most exotic of Brazil’s 12 host cities got one of the tournament’s best games, a Group D match between two former World Cup champions. It’s a match that neither team believes it can afford to lose.

With Andrea Pirlo and Mario Balotelli on one side working against Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard on the other, there will be plenty of superstar quality to marvel at and deflect attention from the subpar quality of the field.

Even the head groundsman at the Arena da Amazonia said the grass was “in bad shape.”

But the field may not be as stifling as the heat. Temperatures are expected to be about 32 Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit), and the humidity always seems to hover around 80 percent in Manaus. The team that can run for 90 minutes under those circumstances might just be the team that leaves the jungle city with three points.

Before coming to Brazil, England spent some time in Miami to acclimatize to the hot conditions. Now that they are in South America, it’s time to prepare for Pirlo.

“It’s important we don’t give him much time and space when we come up against him because he can influence any game,” said Gerrard, the England captain. “He has got that ability.”

Pirlo has been getting better with age. He’s 35 now, but only two years ago the midfield maestro was instrumental in leading Italy to the European Championship final — a run that included a penalty shootout victory over England in the quarterfinals.

The World Cup in Brazil could be his last major international tournament, however,

“I’m starting to get old. It would be useless to continue,” Pirlo said. “Of course, I’ll always be ready if they call me back, but if I’m on the national team and I don’t play that would really bother me. So it’s better to stay at home.”

With an abundance of talent surrounding Pirlo in Brazil, including the often uncontainable Balotelli, some people believe that just holding the Italians to a 0-0 draw would be a huge success for England heading into later group matches against Uruguay and Costa Rica.

England coach Roy Hodgson is not one of them.

“When we get the ball we are going to go for it, we are going to attack,” Hodgson said. “We are going to encourage our attacking players to do what we do. But we are also going to make it clear to them that they can’t go gung-ho at any time.”

The key for England to avoid losing may just be neutralizing Pirlo. But the key to winning is getting the most out of a young squad.

Hodgson dumped old-timers like Ashley Cole and called up a younger crop of players, including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling. So even though Italy faced England only two years ago in another big match at Euro 2012, there will be plenty of new faces in Manaus.

“I do feel this squad is better. The standard from 11-23 has improved,” Gerrard said. “We have better impact players this time around, and that gives me more confidence going into this game.”

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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