Midfielder Wilmer Lopez was quoted as saying: "Our biggest problem was their speed. We are used to playing a slower paced game and moving the ball more steadily."
Coach Alexandre Guimaraes was disappointed that his players could not raise the tempo of heir game.
But he said: "The important thing is that we will be at our best in the World Cup."
One major boost for Costa Rica was the 45-minute appearance of Paulo Wanchope - the first time he has played in over two months following knee surgery.
"I think he was all right, considering how long he has been out for," Guimaraes said. "He troubled their defence and created space for others to get into the box."
Wanchope predicted that the team would improve once the finals get underway.
"We couldn't play at a faster pace because we did such heavy training during the week," he said. "The team will be much different in the World Cup."