Their credentials questioned because seven of their eight qualifying wins came more than 2,700 metres above sea level in Quito, Ecuador got off to strong start near sea level in its second World Cup.

Captain Ivan Hurtado and Neicer Reasco helped thwart the few chances the Poles got, although Poland hit the goalpost twice in the final minutes.

Delgado then put the game away late. Edison Mendez slid a pass to Ivan Kaviedes, who beat an offside trap and fed Delgado alone in the front of the net for the easy score.

Starting the game with Maciej Zurawski as the lone striker, Poland didn't test goalkeeper Cristian Mora at all. Even the substitution of a second forward, Ireneusz Jelen, in the 68th minute didn't help the Poles, who didn't have a shot on goal until the 84th minute. Ecuador is tied with Germany atop Group A. The hosts beat Costa Rica 4-2 earlier Friday. Ecuador, which lost its first two games on its way to first-round elimination in its World Cup debut four years ago, plays Costa Rica next Thursday.

"This was a great result. We achieved our expectations," Suarez said. "But this is just a step. The mountain is great. This is just the first step for Ecuador in this World Cup."

Thousands of Polish fans made the trip to Germany, where the team won the 1972 Olympic gold medal and finished third in the 1974 World Cup. They draped the stadium in a sea of red and white, making it feel more like Warsaw than Gelsenkirchen.

But this proved to be another disappointing start to a World Cup for the Poles, who lost 2-0 to co-host South Korea in the opener in 2002 and were eliminated in the first round. With a matchup against host Germany - a team it has never beat in 14 tries - coming next Wednesday, Poland needs to sharpen up quickly or could become a first-round casualty again.

Poland controlled the play early, fuelled by a partisan crowd chanting "Poland! Poland" throughout. But the Poles squandered a few promising free kick opportunities and weren't able to test Mora, playing with Ecuadorean flags painted on each cheek.