Wales’ hopes of honouring deceased coach Gary Speed with a friendly victory over Costa Rica in Cardiff ended with a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday.

The Football Association of Wales designated the match a memorial to the national team coach, who died unexpectedly in November aged 42.

The crowd at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium provided a sustained round of applause before kickoff and fans at one end of the ground spelled out the name “Gary” by raising coloured cards during the pre-match anthems.

But Costa Rica won through a seventh-minute goal by Joel Campbell.

Bryan Ruiz picked out Campbell, who is on loan at French club Lorient from Arsenal in the English Premier League, with a perfectly weighted pass and the striker shot into the bottom right corner.

Chris Coleman, making his debut as Speed’s successor, withdrew striker Craig Bellamy in the second half in favour of Robert Earnshaw and the substitute thought he had equalised in the closing stages but his goal was ruled out for offside.

Costa Rica also had a late chance when Kenny Cunningham controlled a long ball down the middle but hit the outside of a post with his shot.