Forward Carlos Tevez scored his first goal for Argentina as they beat Peru 1-0 on Saturday to dump the hosts out of the Copa America football tournament.

The 20-year-old Boca Juniors player curled an exquisite free kick into the net in the 61st minute of the quarter-final just three minutes after replacing Andres D'Alessandro.

Argentina captain Roberto Ayala was sent off in the 82nd minute when he was booked for a foul on Jorge Soto. He had been living dangerously after picking up a yellow card in the first half.

Argentina were forced to grind out the win against a resilient Peruvian team who were without key strikers Claudio Pizarro, who is out of the tournament with a head injury, and suspended teenager Jefferson Farfan.

Peru's two best efforts came shortly after Tevez's winner.

Midfielder Nolberto Solano crashed a free kick against the crossbar in the 65th minute and Roberto Palacios side-footed shot went wide four minutes later.

The hosts also had a penalty appeal turned down in injury time when Solano appeared to be pushed.

There were few chances in a rough first half which saw bookings for Ayala and Peru's Juan Jayo and Carlos Zegarra.

D'Alessandro was close with a free kick in the 13th minute and the visitors also created several good chances just before the break.

Javier Zanetti's shot went looping centimetres wide of the goal with keeper Oscar Ibanez stranded after taking a deflection and Gabriel Heinze headed narrowly over from the resulting corner.

Then Luis Gonzalez had a goal-bound shot blocked by a defender.

Peru's best chances before the break fell to Soto who narrowly failed to connect with a Solano pass in front of goal.

Andres Mendoza had two weak efforts stopped by Argentine goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri as he completed his 11th international without scoring.