Costa Rica fall 4-1 to Belgium in World Cup warm-up

Costa Rica got the first goal here Monday against Belgium only to end up losing 4-1 in the final friendly for both teams ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The potent Belgian attack was in evidence from the start and the first of what would turn out to be numerous tests for Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas came in the 5th minute on a strike by Eden Hazard.

At the other end of the pitch, Belgian keeper Thibault Courtois had nothing to do until the 13th minute, when he easily turned aside an effort by Marco Ureña.

Yet the visitors drew first blood, on a play that began with yet another great stop by Navas and ended with Bryan Ruiz's pouncing on a loose ball and knocking it past Courtois to make it 1-0 for Costa Rica in the 24th minute.

The advantage lasted just seven minutes, as Hazard exploited a defensive error to set up a one-touch strike by Dries Mertens just after the half-hour mark.

Energized by the goal, the hosts turned up the intensity and Navas was called upon for further heroics, including the use of his face to make a stop.

With three minutes left in the half, Romelu Lukaku took a pass from Mertens and let loose a volley that beat Navas to put Belgium up 2-1.

After the break, the hosts picked up where they left off and Lukaku needed just five minutes to get his second of the night, a thunderous header that increased the advantage to 3-1.

Michy Batshuayi added a fourth goal in the 64th minute, with help from both Hazard and Lukaku.

The Costa Ricans, who reached the quarterfinals in 2014, will begin their 2018 World Cup campaign on June 17 against Serbia in a group whose other members are Switzerland and five-time champions Brazil.

Belgium, meanwhile, are looking forward to their June 18 opener against Panama, to be followed by contests with England and Tunisia.