Ecuador celebrates the game winner that kept team on course for WC berth. (Reuters)

Striker Agustin Delgado broke clear to score with his eighth goal of the South American World Cup qualifying group and take Ecuador into second place ahead of Paraguay, who were playing Chile later on Saturday.

Peru's defeat, in a game played against the backdrop of Sunday's presidential elections, buried their remaining hopes of reaching Japan and South Korea, leaving them seventh in the standings with five games left.

The top four teams qualify and the fifth play off against the winners of the Oceania region.

It was a remarkable performance by Ecuador which kept their calm and hit back after twelve minutes.

Ulises de la Cruz broke down the right and crossed, the ball eluded a posse of players in the middle and fell to Edison Mendez at the far post where he fired a low shot into the goal.

Ecuador missed two excellent chances to go ahead before halftime, when Ivan Kaviedes and then Agustion Delgado shot weakly at goalkeeper Miguel Miranda from point-blank range.

Peru took control after the break and, not for the first time in the competition, missed a flurry of chances with Andres Mendoza hitting the crossbar and Juan Pajuelo seeing a header brilliantly cleared off the line by Edwin Tenorio.

Peru also had what they claimed was a blatant penalty overlooked by the referee.

Mendez was sent off for kicking Martin Hidalgo's ankle.

Then, with Peru pouring forward, de la Cruz chipped the ball over their back line to Delgado, who rounded Miranda and scored into the empty net.