1) Both sides face a battle for qualification

The prospect of a World Cup without either Argentina or Brazil is virtually unthinkable to most but on the evidence of the opening three rounds of qualification for Russia 2018, neither can take this for granted.

Brazil will be the far happier with their current position given that the rather fortunate point that Dunga’s side earned in the Monumental leaves them in fourth, the last automatic qualifying position. However, the performances have done little to silence the critics against their current style and so far their sole victory has come against Venezuela at home.

It is however, a victory, and that is something that Gerardo Martino and Argentina are in desperate need of. The display against Brazil was a marked improvement on the disjointed and lackadaisical performance that Ecuador took advantage of a month earlier and, finally, there were at least hints that Martino’s ‘idea’ was being assimilated but a first three points still eludes La Albiceleste. That leaves Argentina in ninth place with only Venezuela below them and they must now travel to the energy-sapping afternoon heat of Barranquilla for a clash with Colombia on Tuesday. An improved team performance is one thing but as Martino said in the press conference: “We don’t need to look at the table to know we’ve got to win [against Colombia]”.

The rest of this article is featured on The Independent site and can be viewed here….