They had gone behind in the fifth minute when Agustin Delgado scored Ecuador’s first goal at a World Cup.

But Jared Borgetti cancelled that out and Gerardo Torrado hit the winner.

Italy’s shock defeat to Croatia yesterday opened the way for Mexico, and they eventually grabbed their second win in two games despite the early setback.

Delgado headed home the opener from Ulises De La Cruz’s cross, his effort proving too strong for goalkeeper Oscar Perez, who got a hand to the ball but failed to keep it out.

Mexico immediately returned down the other end in search of an equaliser with Braulio Luna dragging a shot wide from 20 yards.

Although the Central Americans were having the better of the possession, their final ball was disappointing.

The main flashpoint after the goal came when Mexico midfielder Joahan Rodriguez gently pushed away Ecuador’s Raul Guerron in the 16th minute.

The defender slumped to the ground, however referee Mourad Daami was unimpressed by his histrionics.

Mexico did finally find their range with their crossing in the 28th minute, and they were rewarded with the equaliser.

Ramon Morales put the ball in from the left and Borgetti nipped in at the near post to flick the ball across keeper Jose Cevallos and into the net.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco swung a free-kick dangerously into the six-yard area, but straight into the arms of Cevallos moments later.

The 31-year-old keeper was again alert to smother Blanco’s shot from the edge of the area, although the forward would have been disappointed not to get more power on his effort.

Mexico then deservedly went in front in the 57th minute through Gerardo Torrado, the midfielder’s 20-yard left-footed strike arrowing past the despairing dive of Cevallos.

Ecuador, though, signalled their intention to fight until the end with Guerron drilling a long-range free-kick straight into the midrift of Perez in the 65th minute.

Borgetti almost grabbed his second to make the game safe moments later, but his strike from outside the area rebounded off the post

But they could not finish Ecuador off and had to endure a nervous final 10 minutes.

First it needed a great reflex stop from Perez, with his right leg, to deny Carlos Tenorio after he burst into the box.

The South Americans went close again five minutes later, Marlon Ayovi putting Alex Aguinaga’s pull-back inches wide of the post from 20 yards out.

But the Mexicans held on, and Blanco almost made it three for them in injury time, only to be denied by Cevallos’s full-length save.