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Serie A favorites Juve and Roma already in control

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW DAMPF
AP Sports Writer

ROME (AP) — Serie A is only three rounds old and title favorites Juventus and Roma already stand alone atop the table.

Neither of the leaders has conceded a goal and both have also won their opening matches in the Champions League.

Roma, which has scored one more goal than Juventus, visits Parma on Wednesday while Juventus hosts Cesena.

Hellas Verona is a surprising third, two points behind the leaders, entering its match against Genoa.

Here are some things to know about the Italian league entering this week’s games:

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TOP FORM

Carlos Tevez has scored four goals in his last three matches with Juventus — two in the Champions League and two in Serie A.

The Argentine striker’s late goal was decisive in Juve’s 1-0 win at AC Milan on Saturday, after which he acknowledged that he enjoys playing in a slightly different position under coach Massimiliano Allegri.

“(Antonio) Conte used to ask me to play closer to the goal,” Tevez said. “With Allegri I stay a bit behind (Fernando) Llorente and I like it.”

Tevez joined Juve before last season in a 9 million euro ($11.5 million) transfer — 15 million euros ($20 million) with bonuses — from Manchester City.

In Serie A, he has averaged a goal every 136 minutes, while overall he has scored 25 goals in 52 appearances for Juventus.

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SMOKE SCREEN

AC Milan has lost its last four Serie A matches with Juventus and failed to score in three of those meetings.

Milan president Silvio Berlusconi stormed out of the San Siro following Tevez’s goal Saturday, while coach Filippo Inzaghi took a calmer approach.

“We need to be pleased with our performance,” said Inzaghi, who was a prolific scorer for both Juventus and Milan. “This match shouldn’t alter our beliefs. The goal was produced by two great champions that decided a match that otherwise would have gone toward (a draw).”

While Juventus has won the past three titles, Milan finished eighth last season and failed to qualify for Europe.

“I’ve got to be a realist,” Inzaghi said. “I can’t sell smoke to people. I know where we’re coming from. Even though I’m ambitious and I want to compete on the same level as everyone else I’m healthily realistic.”

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CLOSING THE GAP

Roma visits Juventus on Oct. 5 and coach Rudi Garcia is already starting to feel that the Giallorossi have closed the gap behind the title holder.

Roma spent more than twice as much as any other Italian club in the preseason transfer market — 55 million euros ($71 million) — and appears much more confident in Garcia’s second season in charge.

“We did everything we could in terms of bringing in players to close the gap with Juve and time will tell whether we’ve managed it,” Garcia said following a 2-0 win over Cagliari on Sunday.

However, injuries are starting to take their toll.

Winger Juan Manuel Iturbe, who Roma purchased for 22 million euros ($30 million) from Hellas Verona, is out for a couple more weeks with an injured groin after exiting a 5-1 win over CSKA Moscow last week.

Center back Davide Astori is out for three weeks with a sprained right knee and midfielder Kevin Strootman won’t return until at least November from left knee surgery.

Also, veteran midfielder Daniele De Rossi was being evaluated after he was injured against Cagliari.

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A MOLDOVAN IN VERONA

Substitute Artur Ionita became the first player from Moldova to score in Serie A when he netted in a 1-0 win for Hellas Verona at Torino on Sunday.

Verona went on a spending spree after selling Juan Manuel Iturbe to Roma and Ionita joined from Swiss club FC Aarau.

“I put him on during an important phase of the match and he showed that he was ready,” Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini said.

Verona finished 10th last season as it returned to Serie A after an 11-year absence and with former Italy forward Luca Toni still leading the way has higher expectations this season.

Against Torino, which has yet to score this season, Verona goalkeeper Rafael saved a penalty kick from Omar El Kaddouri in the 87th minute.

“Other squads are having trouble and we can still improve,” Mandorlini said.

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Andrew Dampf can be followed at www.twitter.com/asdampf

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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