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Belgium has the points, but how about the style?

By WTOP Staff

RAF CASERT
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — First came boos and whistles. And then, a Brazilian taunt cascaded down the stands of the Maracana stadium — “Little team, your place is in the second division.”

The Belgians had felt honored to play at the famous stadium but the local fans didn’t exactly return the love during Belgium’s struggling 1-0 win over Russia at the World Cup.

One day later, the Belgium squad was cherishing the two victories that have ensured their passage to knockout phase. But after much pre-tournament hype, fans will still be looking for more. How about a little style?

“There will always be something to complain about,” said Belgium coach Marc Wilmots and noted that fans of already eliminated Spain and England had more reason to be glum.

“Pretty, pretty, pretty make no one happy. We need to show efficiency. And we did exactly that,” said Wilmots.

So far only the Netherlands and France have been able to combine beauty with ruthless efficiency. Belgium has been in the class of Lionel Messi’s Argentina, doing just enough to win.

For Belgium, this World Cup is the moment to shed a reputation stretching back over four decades of thriving only on super defensive play before scoring a single goal to steal the victory.

With classy players — from playmaker Eden Hazard to central defender Vincent Kompany and midfielder Kevin De Bruyne — it was time for a fundamental change.

But as much as Belgium impressed during the qualification campaign, it has been underwhelming in Brazil.

Dominated over long stretches by Russia on Sunday and trailing Algeria for much of its opener, Belgium looked like a scrambling team instead of one dictating play.

Two late goals gave it a come-from-behind 2-1 win against Algeria and an 88th-minute strike a 1-0 win over Russia which secured passage into the next round.

Twice, Wilmots argued, the opposition had to be worn down with possession play before the breakthrough goals could come. While it hasn’t been pretty or particularly entertaining, it has delivered the points to advance.

Wilmots assured that the best was yet to come though.

“The tournament starts for real now,” he said. “We are in the second round.”

A lof of that beauty is supposed to come off the feet of Eden Hazard. So far, he has waited until very late to produce the goods, when many neutral fans had already averted their gaze from Belgium’s plodding play.

“We weren*t at our usual 100 percent,” Hazard acknowledged. “With time, we will try produce better matches” and, in the end “develop more beautiful games.”

The only problem, of course, is that in the knockout phase, efficiency becomes even more essential since there never may be a way back into the tournament. That alone could stifle creativity.

Wilmots only needs to remember his last campaign as player, when Belgium lost in the second round against Brazil at the 2002 World Cup.

“We played beautiful football then. But we were quickly eliminated. I know what I prefer,” he said.

___

Follow Raf Casert on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/rcasert

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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