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Messi stays, Howard goes home from World Cup

By WTOP Staff

GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The World Cup still has Lionel Messi. Tim Howard is heading home despite a heroic display of goalkeeping.

A moment of Messi inspiration helped lift an unconvincing Argentina to a 1-0 win over Switzerland after extra time in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, creating the goal scored by Angel Di Maria in the 118th minute.

Howard’s stunning shot-stopping performance could not stop the Americans falling to a 2-1 extra-time loss against favored Belgium that had a pulsating finale.

The veteran ‘keeper repelled most of Belgium’s 27 shots on target but was finally beaten by Kevin De Bruyne in the 93rd and substitute Romelu Lukaku in the 105th.

“He had an absolutely amazing match tonight and you just have to give him the biggest compliments in the world,” U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said.

Teenager Julian Green’s 107th-minute goal sparked concerted American pressure but they could not find a leveler to force a penalty shootout.

Argentina now faces Belgium in a quarterfinals lineup that is a sweep of the eight group winners. They start Friday with France vs. Germany in the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Anticipation was soured a little Tuesday by fixing allegations from earlier matches at the World Cup.

Cameroon’s football federation said it would investigate after the team’s integrity was questioned by a German magazine. Der Spiegel claimed convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal correctly predicted in online exchanges with a reporter that Cameroon would lose 4-0 to Croatia and a player would be sent off before halftime.

“Yes, I have been told about this but let them do their work on this investigation,” FIFA President Sepp Blatter told reporters in Brazil on Tuesday.

Hours later, Perumal’s biographers issued a statement on his behalf denying all allegations.

Howard’s heroics in goal topped Messi in the doubleheader which closed second round.

After Messi scored in each of Argentina’s three group matches, Switzerland almost made good on its promise to shut down the four-time FIFA player of the year.

The Swiss certainly had the best first-half chances in Sao Paulo, created by their own mini-Messi, the equally tiny, powerful and left-footed forward Xherdan Shaqiri.

First, Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero stretched his left foot to block Granit Xhaka’s low shot, then stood up to gather a weak chipped shot by Josip Drmic.

“They had two clear chances and after that the match was ours,” Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said.

When Messi threatened, his scything volley skimmed over the Swiss crossbar and a low shot was parried by ‘keeper Diego Benaglio.

A shootout loomed until Messi broke free of pursuing Swiss defenders. He found Di Maria on the left side of the penalty box for a sweeping left-foot shot beyond Benaglio’s dive.

Argentina was then shaken in stoppage time when a close-range header by substitute Blerim Dzemaili hit the base of Romero’s right hand post. The rebound struck Dzemaili’s knee and went wide.

In Salvador, Howard was the U.S. savior from the first minute in a match of steadily rising tension on a warm, stamina-sapping evening.

A sprawling block to deny Divock Origi opened a duel with the teenage Belgian forward throughout regulation time.

Origi hit the crossbar with a header in the 56th and drew saves from one-on-one chances in the 71st and 85th. Howard saved perhaps his best to keep out a Kevin Mirallas shot in the 76th.

In extra time, De Bruyne took advantage of chaos in the U.S. defense to slide a shot past Howard’s dive. That chance was created by Lukaku’s fresh burst of energy and the striker — Howard’s teammate at Everton last season — powered in a second goal that seemed to seal the match.

Yet Green’s goal lifted tired legs and Clint Dempsey almost leveled the match when a neat free-kick routine left him eight yards (meters) from goal. Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois smothered Dempsey’s shot and sent the Americans out at the last-16 stage for the second straight World Cup.

Meanwhile in Rome, that goal from an Angel rewarded the faith of Pope Francis.

The first pope from Argentina is a noted football fan — even meeting Messi and FIFA President Sepp Blatter last year — and the Vatican embraced the spirit of a clash against a country which has for centuries provided the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

A cartoon posted on the Vatican’s Twitter showed the pontiff wearing a blue and white Argentina scarf over his white cassock, watching on glumly as beer-swilling soldiers watch the match on television.

Switzerland’s defeat ended the career of its veteran German coach, who promised to retire after the tournament.

Hitzfeld’s farewell match kicked off hours after his 81-year-old brother, Winfried, died in a hospital in Basel, Switzerland.

“It was a great honor working for Switzerland,” said Hitzfeld. “I’m therefore proud to say goodbye to Switzerland with heart full of emotions.”

At age 35, Howard might have been playing for the last time at a World Cup, in his third tournament.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Howard said. “I don’t think we could have given it more.”

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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