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Sports

Costa looks fit for World Cup after injury; Spain tops El Salvador 2-0 in final tuneup

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    El Salvador’s Alexander Larin (13) makes on overhead kick as Spain’s Pedro Rodriguez (11) defends during the first half of an exhibition soccer game, Saturday, June 7, 2014, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) (The Associated Press)

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    Spain’s Javi Martinez (4) controls the ball as El Salvador’s Keven Santamaria (8) defends during the first half of an exhibition soccer game, Saturday, June 7, 2014, in Landover, Md.. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) (The Associated Press)

LANDOVER, Md. – Diego Costa looked plenty fit for the World Cup, using a burst of speed on his injured hamstring to draw an early penalty and playing into the 74th minute Saturday to help Spain beat El Salvador 2-0 in a final tuneup before departing for Brazil.

David Villa scored his 57th and 58th international goals amid numerous near-misses for the reigning world champs, who begin the defense of their title Friday against the Netherlands in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa.

Facing an overmatched El Salvador squad being rebuilt after a match-fixing scandal, Spain had but one last question to answer before boarding the plane Sunday for South America: the fitness of Atletico Madrid striker Costa, who has been nursing a strained right hamstring that limited him to nine minutes in the Champions League final two weeks ago. Costa did not play in Spain's subsequent friendly against Bolivia.