Ecuador eliminated

Mexico wins 2-0 to send Argentina into Copa America quarterfinals

PIURA, Peru (AP) -- Veteran forward Adolfo Bautista scored and drew a penalty as Mexico eliminated Ecuador 2-1 from the Copa America on Tuesday.

Hector Altamarino converted the penalty in the 27th, Bautista added his in the 42nd, and Agustin Delgado got one goal back for Ecuador in the 71st at Miguel Grau Stadium.

"We have to concentrate more to ensure we put away games like these," Bautista said. "We had plenty of scoring opportunities but the team relaxed a bit."

Mexico ended up winning Group B with seven points from three games and earned a quarterfinal against either Brazil or Paraguay. Ecuador's loss advanced Argentina, which downed Uruguay 4-2 in the late match, and will play Peru in the last eight.

"Bofo" Bautista featured in the highlights of the first half, in which Ecuador failed to trouble Mexico goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez. Bautista was tripped by Ecuador 'keeper Jacinto Espinoza and drew the penalty which Altamarino slotted in off the left post.

Bautista, unmarked and on the run, then took a long pass from Duilio Davino and powered a 20-meter shot past Espinoza for 2-0, and in injury time he was yellow-carded for a reckless kick at Espinoza, who injured his right hand and had to be replaced in goal by Damian Lanza.

After the break, Mexico was content to cruise, and Ecuador cut the deficit in half when Delgado met a short cross from replacement Franklin Salas and headed in between two defenders and past Sanchez. Delgado scored two of Ecuador's three goals in the tournament, and the team goes home after three losses.

"Neither Mexico nor Uruguay was superior to Ecuador. They didn't absolutely dominate us," Ecuador coach Hernan Gomez said.

"But we got off to a bad start even before the tournament and we paid for it here. At this Copa, I have learned what not to do. For the qualifying rounds, we have to make some changes, particularly in our pre-game preparation and be more serious in our training."

Mexico had already qualified for the last eight and it didn't play with the intensity of its 1-0 must-win against Argentina last Saturday. Coach Ricardo Lavolpe also played safe by not playing four regulars who had been issued yellow cards: Rafael Marquez, Pavel Pardo, Ricardo Osorio and Salvador Carmona.

"We have to keep working to improve. We controlled the game in the first half, but in the second we lost our concentration," Mexico midfielder Gerardo Torrado said.

Before the opening whistle, the team paid tribute to star striker Jared Borgetti, who returned to Mexico to attend the funeral of his sister. The team unveiled a flag which read: "Jared, we're with you, we love you."

Ecuador midfielder Alex Aguinaga completed his record-tying eighth Copa playing the first 65 minutes. Aguinaga, who turned 36 last Friday, made his international debut at the 1989 Copa, and has appeared in 26 Copa matches, the sixth most in Copa history.

Summary

Mexico 2 Ecuador 1 - result. Copa America first stage group A.

Scorers:

Mexico - Hector Altamirano 27pen, Adolfo Bautista 43

Ecuador - Agustin Delgado 71

Halftime: 2-0; Attendance: 25,000

Mexico - 1-Oswaldo Sanchez; 22-Hector Altamirano, 2-Claudio Suarez, 5-Duilio Davino, 3-Omar Briceno; 7-Octavio Valdez, 6-Gerardo Torrado, 14-Ramon Morales (19-Jaime Lozano 28); 17-Francisco Palencia, 10-Adolfo Bautista (16-Mario Mendez 60), 21-Jesus Arellano (11-Daniel Osorno 74)

Ecuador - 1-Jacinto Espinoza (22-Damian Lanza 45+3); 4-Ulises de la Cruz, 3-Ivan Hurtado, 17-Geovanny Espinoza, 18-Neicer Reasco; 21-Leonardo Soledispa, 15-Marlon Ayovi, 13-Luis Saritama, 10-Alex Aguinaga (9-Gustavo Figueroa 65), 16-Cleber Chala; 11-Agustin Delgado

Referee - Eduardo Lecca (Peru).

Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.