SAN JOSE, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) — Costa Rica began the final stretch of their preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Nigeria on Wednesday.
Oscar Duarte put the hosts ahead with a seventh-minute strike after combining with Joel Campbell. Kendall Waston doubled the advantage with a close-range header after Joel Campbell’s pass.
The clash was the penultimate chance for Costa Rica manager Luis Fernando Suarez to test his squad before the World Cup kicks off on November 20. Los Ticos will have a final warmup match against Iraq in Basra on November 17.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since France 1998.
The Central American side have been drawn in Group E alongside Spain, Japan and Germany.