Celebration time for Mexico (Allsport).

By PA Sport Staff

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre was already thinking about dumping Italy out of the World Cup, only moments after watching his side move to the top of Group G with victory over Ecuador.

After goals from Jared Borgetti and Gerardo Torrado saw off the South Americans, it was all eyes to doing the same to the mighty Azzurri.

Italy's defeat to Croatia means they will need a victory to avoid a first-round exit for the first time in 28 years.

But Aguirre is warning Giovanni Trapattoni's men that his side want to keep their 100% record in Thursday's crunch clash and make the last 16 themselves.

"Of course we already have two victories but we have to search for the victory again by attacking and going after the ball," he said.

"The players that coach Giovanni Trapattoni has at his disposal, like Christian Vieri and Francesco Totti, will make it very dangerous for us to do anything else."

Mexico proved their fighting spirit in Miyagi after going behind to Agustin Delgado's fifth-minute opener, the Southampton striker claiming his country's first-ever World Cup goal.

But their hopes of that being enough for a first victory were dashed by Borgetti and Torrado.

"We did not assert ourselves enough," admitted defender Ulises de la Cruz.

It had looked so much brighter for Ecuador when the Hibs player crossed for Delgado to head past Oscar Perez, his effort proving too strong for the goalkeeper 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.

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

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

"You just have to trust you can do it, experience is what gets you there," said the 28-year-old Borgetti.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco swung a free-kick dangerously into the six-yard area, but straight into the arms of Cevallos moments later as Mexico sensed an opportunity to assert themselves.

The 31-year-old goalkeeper 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 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 Raul Guerron drilling a long-range free-kick straight into the midriff 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 their rally was to no avail and centre-back Ivan Hurtado admitted: "There are no excuses and no guilty people. Mexico did things better than us today and that is why they won."

The Mexicans are almost in the second round for the third successive finals, but not quite.

"We have to suffer a little bit more," admitted defender Melvin Brown.