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World Cup fans need math to figure out scenarios

By WTOP Staff

GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Every four years, the World Cup forces fans to remember their math lessons.

Working out what each team needs from its final match to finish in the top two of a group and advance to the knockout rounds takes some algebra knowledge and powers of prediction.

After Brazil and Mexico played to a scoreless draw on Tuesday, the calculation became clear: Both teams just need to draw in their next matches to advance with five points in Group A. Croatia, which beat Cameroon Wednesday, would get to six points by beating Mexico. So a draw with Cameroon would still get Brazil through with five points. If Mexico beats Croatia, Brazil would advance even if it loses. But if Mexico and Croatia draw, and Brazil loses — then it gets complicated with tiebreakers.

Got that, or do you need a calculator and a notepad? For most of the other teams in the tournament, the calculations are almost endless.

Three straight wins for anyone guarantees topping the standings and avoiding other group winners in the round of 16. At the 2010 World Cup, only Argentina and the Netherlands came through with a 100 percent record in the group stage.

Winning makes it easy. The Netherlands and Chile are both in with two victories worth six points. The game between them will just determine seeding for the knockout stage.

Losing makes it simple, too. Australia and Spain are eliminated after losing their first two games.

But any team in the middle risks falling into a tiebreaker to decide the qualifying positions. In that scenario, goal difference is king.

Goal difference gets to the essence of football: Score more goals than you concede. So even in the last minutes of a 3-0 game, a late goal by either side in the World Cup could decide the fate of a national team.

The simple equation is deduct how many goals a team conceded overall from how many it scored, and — ideally — what’s left is a positive number. It is effectively worth an extra point.

Think goal difference is tough to work out on the fly mid-match? Meet “goal average”.

Up to the 1966 World Cup, FIFA used goal average — a team’s total goals scored divided by goals conceded — to decide tiebreakers. Goal difference arrived in 1970.

Four years ago in South Africa, goal difference was decisive for two group winners — including the United States — who finished level on points with the runner-up.

After 90 minutes of its third match the Americans were third in the live standings. Landon Donovan’s stoppage-time winner against Algeria lifted his team top above England and Slovenia.

Runners-up in two other 2010 groups advanced by virtue of better goal difference than the third-placed team.

As Spain found in 1998, four points and a healthy plus-4 goal difference is not always enough.

Then, at the first World Cup under the current 32-team format, Spain had the best record of all third-placed teams in the past 16 years. Despite beating Bulgaria 6-1 in its final match, Spain finished below Nigeria and Paraguay.

Not since 1994 has a World Cup group finished in a three-way tie on six points (meaning three teams won two games and lost one). Then, it happened twice in a crazier than usual group stage. And back then, with only 24 teams, the best third-place teams also advanced.

That was the year Group E ended in a four-way tie with all teams on four points and zero goal difference each.

Mexico finished top having scored the most goals — the next tiebreaker after goal difference. Runner-up Ireland placed above Italy, though both scored two goals. Ireland had won the head-to-head match, which is the next tiebreak criterion. Norway went home, because it had scored just one goal.

The 1982 World Cup is another classic for tiebreakers.

Eventual champion Italy advanced without winning a match. It drew all three games, edging Cameroon on goals scored.

And there was the notorious West Germany-Austria agreement.

The final Group 2 standings show the Germans, Austrians and Algeria all won two matches, but the underdog North Africans went out on goal difference.

Playing one day after Algeria beat Chile 3-2, the European neighbors mutually agreed that a 10th-minute German goal suited both teams, advancing both. They played out the match without trying to score.

Because of that scandal, FIFA decided that final group matches must kick off simultaneously in future.

Two screens and a good head for arithmetic is all a World Cup fan needs at that point.

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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