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Porto heads to Ukraine, BATE hosts Athletic Bilbao

By WTOP Staff

HAROLD HECKLE
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Shakhtar Donetsk will host its first Champions League match in Lviv on Tuesday when FC Porto travels to war-torn Ukraine.

Forced to play in the western city because of the conflict in Donetsk, Shakhtar will be looking for its first win in Group H after an opening 0-0 draw at Athletic Bilbao.

Porto beat BATE Borisov 6-0 in its opener.

In Tuesday’s other group match, BATE Borisov hosts Bilbao.

Here are some things to know about this week’s games in Group H:

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HOME BUT AWAY

Culturally, Lviv is the complete opposite of Donetsk — a rural, Ukrainian-speaking nationalist city, while Shakhtar’s hometown is heavily industrial and Russian-speaking.

So Porto might have more support than Shakhtar on Tuesday.

The conflict in Ukraine has cost Shakhtar some top players. But Shakhtar still started the Ukrainian league season with seven straight wins before losing to Zorya Luhansk 1-0 on Sept. 21. The team, however, recovered some form on Thursday with a cup win.

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UNSADDLING THE MUSTANG

Ricardo Quaresma’s return to Porto in last January’s transfer window after six years as a journeyman was welcome news, but coach Julen Lopetegui left Quaresma off the squad for Porto’s trip to Donetsk after replacing him at halftime in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sporting.

Quaresma, nicknamed the Mustang for his irreverent temperament, hasn’t tried to conceal his dismay at his failure to secure a regular berth.

In a Champions League playoff against Lille, Lopetegui brought on Quaresma in the 89th minute and, when the player made clear he was peeved, the coach dropped him for the next game.

With the former Inter Milan player staying at home, Lopetegui, who landed in Lviv late Sunday with 19 players, will likely turn to Colombian playmaker Juan Quintero. Brazilian center back Maicon returns from suspension.

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STRUGGLING ATHLETIC

With five straight losses and one 0-0 draw, Bilbao is struggling in the Spanish league. In the Champions League, things aren’t much better after an opening 0-0 draw against Shakhtar.

Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde needs a good win to secure his tenure. He is traveling to the Borisov Arena with a full-strength team — only minus 20-year-old midfielder Ager Aketxe, who has a broken toe.

Bilbao will face a team that leads its league with three draws and one 6-0 win over Naftan, but also has the memory of a 6-0 Champions League rout at Porto.

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HOMEGROWN STAR

Shakhtar’s top scorer this season is striker Olexandr Gladkiy with six goals in nine games in all competitions.

That’s unusual for Shakhtar, a team that is normally dominated by South American talent.

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UNBEATEN STREAK

BATE is on a 23-match unbeaten streak in its domestic league, but has lost all eight previous matches against Spanish clubs.

However, given Bilbao’s poor recent form, coach Aleksandr Yermakovich is eyeing a first group stage win in the Champions League win since his club defeated Bayern Munich 3-1 in October 2012.

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Associated Press writer Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed to this report.

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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