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New-look Swiss open World Cup campaign vs Ecuador

By WTOP Staff

STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer

Casual football fans scrolling down the FIFA rankings will no doubt pause when they reach No. 6.

Switzerland. Really?

Yet, the Swiss — with just one defeat in 18 matches over two years — are there on merit and will bid to justify their top-seed status when they open their World Cup campaign against Ecuador in Brasilia on Sunday.

Coached by wily and experienced German Ottmar Hitzfeld, Switzerland has been transformed into a bold European power driven on by blossoming players who shone at youth tournaments since 2009.

Hitzfeld’s lineup is favored — along with France — to advance from Group E that also contains Honduras.

“We do have the potential to qualify for the round of 16,” Hitzfeld said. “That is our goal. Then there are no limits.”

Ecuador, ranked No. 26, has some deficiencies in defense — long-time center-half rocks Ivan Hurtado and Giovanny Espinoza are no longer around — and has a big hole in its forward line after the sudden death of star striker Christian Benitez last year.

The 27-year-old Benitez died of heart failure in Qatar in July, only three weeks after joining local team El Jaish. He was Ecuador’s star forward with 24 goals in 58 appearances.

The desire to honor Benitez — previously described as “practically irreplaceable” by Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda — will drive the national team, but that may not be enough to help them progress beyond the group stage.

Another of Rueda’s top players will be missing in Brazil, too, after experienced defensive midfielder Segundo Castillo was ruled out of the tournament on Monday with a knee injury sustained in a warm-up match against Mexico. Osvaldo Minda was called up as his replacement.

The star of the team is Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia, the country’s most illustrious export who showed he is fired up to be very competitive at the World Cup by getting sent off for grappling with England winger Raheem Sterling in a friendly international last week. He won’t be suspended ahead of the World Cup games and should figure prominently on the right flank.

Ecuador should benefit from the tournament being held in South America, making them more suited to the playing conditions and potentially leaving the group wide open.

But the Swiss, buoyed by wins over Brazil and Germany in friendlies in the past two years, boast a higher-quality squad.

Xherdan Shaqiri, a bit-part player at Bayern Munich but a key performer for his country, has the ability to produce moments of brilliance and feed Josep Drmic, who is likely to be team’s lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Expect the tireless running and high-tempo game of central-midfield pairing Gokhan Inler and Valon Behrami to be a feature, too.

Switzerland scored 17 goals in 10 qualifiers and Ecuador just 20 in 16 matches — so the first match in the Brazilian capital’s Estadio Nacional is not likely to be a high-scoring encounter.

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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