Ecuador’s Agustin Delgado (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Costa Rica in Hamburg on Thursday. (Reuters)

Hamburg: Ecuador reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time after beating Costa Rica 3-0 on Thursday.

Carlos Tenorio and Agustin Delgado each scored their second goals of the tournament to go through alongside host Germany, who beat Poland 1-0 on Wednesday. Ivan Kaviedes added a third goal in injury-time.

But the unprecedented success of the team was dedicated as a tribute to yet another Tenorio, who was not around ? Otilino Tenorio, killed last year in a traffic accident. “He was the one who brought joy to the group,” said coach Luis Fernando Suarez. “This success goes to his memory.”

“We’re very happy for having qualified, aside from me having scored another goal for my team,” Delgado said. “We’re now thinking about being group leaders. We think about winning every game.”

Costa Rica and Poland are the first teams to be eliminated from the 32-nation field. Goalkeeper Cristian Mora, again playing with Ecuador flags painted on his cheeks, jumped with joy after Delgado’s goal built a two-goal margin early in the second half.

Tenorio scored in the eighth minute and Delgado in the 54th. Kaviedes, who replaced Tenorio at the start of the second half, added the last goal in the second minute of injury time from 6 metres off a cross from Edison Mendez, getting by captain Luis Marin and poking the ball in.

Historically, the Tricolours have found success only at their home field in Quito, more than 2,700 metres (9,000 feet) above sea level.

Tenorio scored his seventh goal in 31 international appearances after some nifty passing in the midfield. The ball was played to Luis Valencia on the right flank, and he crossed around Marin to Tenorio, who burst ahead of Douglas Sequeira and beat goalkeeper Jose Porras with a header from close range.

Delgado got his goal 31st goal in 70 appearances following a throw-in, exchanging passes, bursting between Marin and Michael Umana, then beating Porras to the near post. Kaviedes’ goal was his 14th in 46 games for Ecuador.

TEAMS

Ecuador: Cristian Mora; Ulises de la Cruz, Ivan Hurtado, Giovanny Espinoza (Jorge Guaga 68), Neicer Reasco; Edison Mendez, Edwin Tenorio, Segundo Castillo, Luis Antonio Valencia (Patrico Urrutia 69); Agustin Delgado, Carlos Tenorio (Ivan Kaviedes 46)

Costa Rica: Jose Francisco Porras; Luis Marin, Michael Umana, Harold Wallace; Leonardo Gonzalez (Carlos Hernandez 56), Mauricio Solis, Walter Centeno (Kurt Bernard 84), Douglas Sequeira, Danny Onseca (Alvaro Saborio 29); Ronald Gomez, Paulo Wanchope

Referee: Coffi Codjia (Ben).