Costa Rica secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over a largely home-based Super Eagles team in the early hours of today in a friendly match in San Jose.
The Central Americans used the match as preparation for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which kicks off in 10 days.
Oscar Duarte and Kendall Winston scored for the hosts at the National Stadium in the Costa Rican capital city packed with fans sending off their team to the World Cup.
With Nigeria’s Europe-based players not available because of club duties, it was effectively a Super Eagles B side mixed with U-23s, and they struggled to contain the hosts.
Duarte netted the first goal in the seventh minute as the first half ended 1-0.
The Nigerians resisted Costa Rica’s pressure for 28 minutes in the second half before breaking, as Waston struck to make it 2-0.
Costa Rica are in Group E in Qatar along with Japan and former champions Germany and Spain.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the global showpiece after losing on the away goals rule to Ghana in the playoffs.
