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Messi’s worldwide World Cup attraction carries on

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — Lionel Messi fell, then jumped back to his feet with a little help from the gentlemanly Swiss player who had knocked him down. This happened all afternoon, because Argentina is still a one-man show at this World Cup attracting all of every opponent’s attention.

Tackled, pushed or fouled practically each time he touched the ball, the feisty 5-foot-5 forward forcefully hit the ground again and again.

Argentina’s leader made one last run on exhausted, beat-up legs to help send Argentina back to the World Cup quarterfinals with a captivating 1-0 extra-time victory against Switzerland on Tuesday.

Messi made a burst down the middle and passed from the top of the 18-yard box to set up Angel di Maria’s goal in the 118th minute.

“First of all, I don’t know whether I deserved this one or not, but what’s important is that we moved on to the next stage,” Messi said when honored as man of the match. “It was difficult. We knew it was going to be a hard match.”

The Swiss swarmed Messi from every angle, and his chances were few, but he still delivered the key pass with his nation on the brink.

That’s the respect factor No. 10 brings each time he pulls on the uniform, and it was on full display under sunny skies at Itaquerao Stadium.

“We know that Messi in one second can decide a match,” Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said.

The Messi phenomenon has traveled far beyond Buenos Aires and Argentina. This World Cup, it’s all about Messi, Brazil-style. Now, there’s more: Argentina will face the winner of Tuesday night’s match between Belgium and the United States in the quarterfinals Saturday in Brasilia.

One fan Tuesday held a poster of Rio de Janeiro’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue with Messi’s head on it.

The crowd erupted in cheers when “No. 10, Messi” was announced 30 minutes before kickoff, then Messi led La Albiceleste onto the field with tens of thousands dancing, singing and waving flags in the stands. He hugged the young boy who had the good fortune of walking hand in hand with one of the globe’s most recognizable faces.

A humongous section of Argentines erupted into a 10th-minute trademark chant and Messi tribute tune: “With the hand of Lionel Messi, we’re going to be the champions!”

In the 87th minute, Messi became furious when he took an elbow to the head from Valon Behrami, who was shoved by Messi as he got to his feet.

Messi, who turned 27 on June 24, scored four of his team’s six goals to help Argentina capture the top spot from Group F. Those performances helped erase some of the sting of going without a goal in South Africa four years ago, when Argentina lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarterfinals. He did help set up half of Argentina’s 10 goals.

He had two great chances Tuesday. Still, the star striker is leaving quite an imprint on Brazil in his third World Cup after that forgettable 2010 performance and a one-goal showing at the 2006 tournament in Germany.

As soon as the animated Argentines were allowed inside, some 2 1/2 hours before kickoff, the chants of “Messi! Messi!” began in earnest.

Diego Maradona, the former Argentine coach who led the country to its last World Cup title as a player in 1986 in Mexico City, said he considers Messi the best player in the world regardless of whether he wins a World Cup.

Now, Messi’s special 2014 run rolls on as Argentina chases its third World Cup championship. The Argentines also captured the 1978 title by beating the Netherlands at home in Buenos Aires.

“All of Argentina is very happy,” defender Ezequiel Garay said.

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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