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Argentina beats Germany 4-2 in WCup final rematch

By WTOP Staff

CIARAN FAHEY
Associated Press

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Angel di Maria set up three goals and scored the fourth himself as Argentina trounced Germany 4-2 in their friendly game Wednesday to get a small measure of payback after losing to the host in the World Cup final.

Argentina was up 4-0 after just 50 minutes to dampen the home side’s World Cup title celebrations in its first game since winning the final 1-0 in extra time in Brazil in July.

“It can’t be revenge,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said. “You can’t bring the final back.”

With Lionel Messi absent due to a right leg injury, Di Maria assumed the instigator’s role, setting up Sergio Aguero in the 21st minute, Erik Lamela’s outstanding volley in the 40th, and Federico Fernandez’ headed goal two minutes after the interval.

“Angel di Maria showed why he is one of the five best players in the world,” Argentina coach Gerardo Martino said.

Di Maria, who completed his move to Manchester United from Real Madrid last week, crowned his performance in the 50th with a chip over substitute Germany ‘keeper Roman Weidenfeller, after a great run set up by Argentina captain Javier Mascherano.

Andre Schuerrle pulled one back from a rebound two minutes later before Mario Goetze, who scored the winning goal in the World Cup final, made it 4-2 with a deflected shot in the 78th.

Both sides fielded much-changed lineups to the ones that contested the biggest game in world football in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium 52 days earlier.

Germany made seven changes to its side. Captain Philipp Lahm, fellow defender Per Mertesacker and record scorer Miroslav Klose all retired after the final, while coach Loew also had to contend with a host of injuries.

“Actually I can’t make any accusations against the team, they had never played together like that before,” Loew said.

Martino, who took over from Alejandro Sabella after the final, had to do without Messi on his debut. He did, however, have Di Maria — who missed the title match with an injury.

“We would have beaten them even if Di Maria played on July 13,” Loew said.

Martino said Di Maria made himself “more prominent” than he had been at the World Cup.

The attacking midfielder showed his intention early on with a run before Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer emerged to snuff out the danger.

Neuer captained the side in the absence of the injured Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was named as Lahm’s successor on Tuesday.

Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero then got the better of Mario Gomez in a one on one at the other end.

Gomez, back in the side after missing out on the World Cup due to fitness concerns, missed three chances to score with the goal at his mercy. The Fiorentina striker was whistled by fans after his last miss and again when he was substituted.

“He was missing for around seven months. For me it was important to see how he moved, and that he had the chances,” Loew said. “Of course he still needs a bit of time to get back to form after such a long time out with injury.”

Di Maria sent in an exquisite cross with the outside of his left boot for Aguero to open the scoring with a simple tap-in after a lack of concentration in the German defense.

Lamela made it 2-0 five minutes before the interval with a rocket of a volley to the top left corner from Di Maria’s deep cross.

Fernandez’ header from Di Maria’s cross gave substitute goalkeeper Weidenfeller no chance, and a rout looked on the cards when Di Maria capped his great solo run with a delightful chip over the goalkeeper.

Schuerrle and Goetze responded and Marco Reus struck the post for the home side, which couldn’t muster a comeback — but still has the World Cup.

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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