Uruguayan Diego Forlan (right) vies for the ball with Argentine Gabriel Heinze during their Group B Copa America match at Miguel Grau Stadium in Piura on Tuesday. (AFP)

Piura (Peru): Argentina set up a Copa America quarter final against hosts Peru after their 4-2 win over neighbours Uruguay on Tuesday, while Mexico sent unhappy Ecuador packing.

Striker Luciano Figueroa’s first two goals for his country steered Argentina clear of a possible last-eight confrontation with Brazil.

Mexico kicked off the group B double-bill with a 2-1 win over Ecuador, who finished bottom of the group with three straight defeats. The Mexicans finished top with seven points and stay in Piura to face the runners-up in group C on Sunday, which could be Paraguay or Chile.

Second-placed Argentina travel to Chiclayo for Saturday’s showdown with the hosts and Uruguay qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.

The Uruguayans appear set to finish as the best of the third-placed teams which will earn them a trip to Tacna at the southern extreme of the country, nearly 2,000 kilometres away, where their most likely opponents will be Brazil.

Argentina, beaten 0-1 by Mexico on Saturday, and Uruguay had both qualified before kicking off their match but still served up a typically full-blooded River Plate derby.

“We took most of the chances we had, our control of the ball was adequate,” said Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.

“There are no magic answers in football. Sometimes similar situations generate different consequences. This game was similar to the one against Mexico. The difference is that we scored in this one and we didn't against Mexico.”

Uruguay coach Jorge Fossati, whose team had conceded eight goals in losing two World Cup qualifiers when he took over, was delighted with his side’s improvement at the Copa America.

“We gave everything, just as an Uruguayan should when he’s wearing his country’s shirt, but without going over the top,” he said.

Uruguay defender Joe Bizera was sent off in the 35th minute while teammate Carlos Diogo produced arguably the worst tackle of the tournament when he lunged two-footed at Cristian Gonzalez’s shins. Remarkably, Diogo escaped with a yellow card.

Fabian Estoyanoff fired Uruguay ahead with a right-footed volley after seven minutes before Argentina replied with two quick goals.

Cristian Gonzalez slotted home a 20th-minute penalty after a foul on Cesar Delgado, before Figueroa scored from close range less than a minute later. That blow, followed by Bizera’s sending-off, would have floored many teams.

But the tenacious Uruguayans equalised in the 38th minute when Vicente Sanchez connected with a loose ball and scored with a 25-metre left-foot shot.

Argentina dominated the rest of the game but appeared set to be frustrated until captain Roberto Ayala scored with a brilliant header from a corner in the 81st minute. Figueroa sealed the win with his second goal in the 90th.

172nd appearance

Claudio Suarez, the world’s most capped international, made his first appearance of the Copa and the 172nd of his Mexico career in the game against Ecuador.

Striker Adolfo Bautista was Mexico’s hero, winning the 27th-minute penalty from which Hector Altamirano opened the scoring, and helping himself to the second on the break just before half-time. Agustin Delgado headed one for Ecuador as they staged a late fightback.