Edison Flores then put Peru 2-0 up just eight minutes later when he spun onto a knock from a free kick and rolled the ball in at the far post.
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But Ecuador fought back into the game and pulled a goal back through Enner Valencia six minutes before the break – his trap and shot beating Pedro Gallese from close range.
Christian Cueva opened the scoring with a smart finish past Ecuador keeper Alexander Dominguez after a superb turn on the edge of the area.
In the second half Ecuador equalized when Miller Bolanos fired in a cross from Jefferson Montero, who was risky on the left wing.
After these two goals, Peru had shattered their fellow South Americans and Ecuador was just feeling the heat.
Ecuador’s momentum carried over into the second half.
The Peruvian winger scored the first goal in his country’s 2-2 Copa America draw with Ecuador, but that’s only half the story.
The result keeps Peru in second position in Group B on four points with a clash against Brazil to come, while Ecuador is two points behind and will face Haiti in its final game. Manager Gustavo Quinteros quickly diagnosed his team’s problems and found effective solutions for them, and for every adjustment made by his opposite number with Peru, Quinteros and Ecuador had a quick counter for it.
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder grabbed his first two goals inside the first half hour of a one-sided Group B game at Orlando’s Citrus Bowl in Florida. Bolanos levelled the score in the 48th from Montero’s pass.
Peru’s Raul Ruidaz had one last shot just before the final whistle but it went wide.
Gabriel Achilier from Ecuador was sent off the field after receiving his second yellow card in the dying minutes.
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Sadly for Cueva, Peru threw away a two-goal lead, meaning they’ll now most likely need something from their final group game against Brazil.
