From an All Whites perspective, it was a courageous, if sometimes inaccurate performance. They were denied the services of Chris Wood until the 72nd minute - with the striker protecting a still suspect hamstring - but they retained focus and poise.
Midfielder Ryan Thomas was superb in a box to box performance, while Winston Reid gave the captain's knock he had promised.
Peru had some silky touches, and played some lovely football, but we also saw the other side of the South American game, with plenty of histrionics as Peruvian players dived to the ground in agony, before jumping to their feet moments later.
The All Whites weren't saints - one well timed shove by Michael Boxall resembled something you might see in a Hurricanes game - but Yoshimar Yotun's manhandling of Reid, which earned a yellow card, was the ugliest moment of the first half.
The All Whites made a nervy start, as you would expect, and an early defensive mix-up almost led to a calamitous own goal. A Peruvian long ball wasn't dealt with by Reid and Boxall, instead deflected towards their goal.
But goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic recovered well, to swat the ball away just before it crossed the goal line.
The home side settled after that, but Peru, in an unfamiliar all-red strip, had the better of the first half. Watford winger Andre Carrillo was a constant threat, and had the best chance of the first half, poking a close range volley just past the far post.
Veteran Jefferson Forfan was also effective, while the pace and close control of Christian Cueva created openings where there didn't didn't seem to be.
Peru dominated possession, and made easy passage to within range of the New Zealand penalty area. But somehow the All Whites hung on.
Reid was superb, with timely interventions and blocks, and in the best traditions of Ryan Nelsen was always where he needed to be.
From that defensive base, New Zealand started, slowly but surely, to come into the game. They forced a couple of corners, then some nice work from Thomas and Marco Rojas released Kosta Barbarouses, but his shot went tamely wide.
Still the team and the crowd found some hope, as the large block of Peruvian fans began to fall quiet.
The South Americans made a stronger start to the second half, with Aldo Corvo's bullet header from a corner only denied by a fingertip Marinovic save.
Peru looked dangerous, but were sometimes guilty of being overelaborate in the final third, though it took a Boxall bicycle kick to stop another Peruvian opportunity.
The arrival of Wood in the 73rd minute caused great excitement, but apart from a long range free kick, the New Zealand side were unable to engineer any opportunities for the Burnley striker, with not one decent cross, and that will be the lingering regret, as the Peruvian defence started to look wobbly.
