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Colombia searching for equilibrium against Greece

By WTOP Staff

FRANK GRIFFITHS
Associated Press

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (AP) — Overcoming solidly defensive teams like Greece has never been the forte of South American teams, which thrive on attractive football.

Consequently, Colombia coach Jose Pekerman sees the main challenge for his players in their World Cup opener Saturday as respecting the way Greece plays.

Colombia, taking part in its first World Cup since 1998, boasts a strong attacking lineup despite Radamel Falcao’s exclusion. While Pekerman doesn’t want to sacrifice Colombia’s aesthetic style, he wants his team to play with equilibrium.

He also hopes his players won’t get frustrated at Greece’s tactics.

“Traditionally, South American teams have a hard time against these types of opponents (which) play with a lot of determination and a mentality that say ‘we play this way and we can get a result,'” Pekerman said.

Teams like Greece, “They’re not bothered when others say to them, ‘Why don’t you play another way?'” he added. “Their style is well-defined and they are proud of it. Because of this, they are very strong.”

However, the notion that his Greek team would focus primarily on defense seemed to offend coach Fernando Santos.

“The most important thing is the whole team,” he said. “If we only play defense, we will lose. In football, you don’t play with four people (defenders). You need strikers, midfielders.

“My team is going to play to win. I think Colombia will do the same. That’s what I expect: both teams trying to win.”

Colombia and Greece both trained at Mineirao Stadium on Friday in Belo Horizonte, which will host the Group C opener. Before Colombia’s session, the players formed a circle on the pitch and prayed.

Pekerman said his team had become “a family” after Colombia was dealt a number of setbacks before travelling to Brazil.

Falcao, the team’s star forward who scored nine goals in qualifying, was cut from the squad last week after failing to recover in time from a serious knee injury. Center back Luis Perea was also dropped because of a thigh injury. Then, midfielder Aldo Ramirez was sent home with a foot injury days after Pekerman announced his final squad.

“Like all families, we deal with problems and work on finding a solution,” said Pekerman, adding that Falcao and Perea would be in Brazil to support the team. “The injuries are in the past.”

Colombia will also be without suspended midfielder Fredy Guarin for the first match.

Falcao’s injury came shortly after Colombia qualified and the team hasn’t had many international friendlies since then to experiment with how the other strikers, including Carlos Bacca, Teofilo “Teo” Gutierrez and Jackson Martinez, link up with main playmaker James Rodriguez.

“We hope (the strikers) adapt as quickly as possible,” Pekerman said. “There isn’t time for more tests. Whoever is selected must do important things.”

Greece considers Colombia as the toughest team in the group, which also includes Japan and Ivory Coast. Greece will be relying on veterans like Costas Katsouranis and captain Giorgos Karagounis, who were part of the team that won the 2004 European Championship.

The 37-year-old Karagounis, playing in his last tournament, also didn’t appreciate Greece being defined as a defensive team.

“We are concerned about how to score, and then how to defend our goal. It’s as simple as that,” he said. Colombia “should also be concerned about defending their own goal.”

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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