Improved performance or not against Brazil, Argentina are still in desperate need of a win against Colombia on Tuesday afternoon and with key players still missing and the searing heat of Barranquilla to contend with it will not be an easy task. Gerardo Martino is all too aware that this will pose an all together different challenge to Dunga’s Brazil but the under-fire coach is not likely to change his philosophy too much; Gabriel Mercado is set to be a surprise selection at right-back after Facundo Roncaglia picked up a second yellow card on Friday night, in the only change to the starting line-up.

When Martino assessed these latest two World Cup qualifiers prior to the Brazil match he came to the conclusion that Dunga would have his side sit back and defend, while José Pekerman’s Colombia would play on the front foot. This seemed like a fair assessment and certainly Dunga did not surprise anyone in his approach on Friday in the Monumental.

Speaking to the press after the 1-1 draw, Martino said: “Colombia away is not going to be same game as Brazil. We will try to take control of the game but I believe we will face a team that is going to attack more.”

“In the dressing room the boys know what kind of game they played [against Brazil]. We did not get the result we deserved. We know the path we are looking for and the table does not change our view.”

Argentina are far less likely to control large portions of the game as they did against Brazil but even in the Monumental, there were glimpses of La Albiceleste as a counter-attacking force. Ángel Di María looked something like the player he was under Alejandro Sabella and he and Ezequiel Lavezzi will no doubt look to spring out from defence to lead the charge in Colombia.

In the energy-sapping heat that Tuesday’s match will be played and with a day less preparation after the 24 hour rain delay last week, Argentina will look to conserve energy against a Colombia side, that has not kicked on as expected after the 2014 World Cup but is coming off a decent performance away to Chile on Thursday.

Pekerman packed his midfield to combat Chile but will be without Carlos Sánchez tomorrow afternoon. Los Cafeteros will probably play at a slower tempo than they did in Santiago but perhaps will be expected to have the majority of possession.

The midfield battle will be intriguing and Gerardo Martino will be relieved that Javier Mascherano’s knock that he picked up against Brazil will not rule him out. The defence will need to perform as they did against the Selecao but it is also where Argentina are forced to make a change.

Facundo Roncaglia surprised many with his display not only against Neymar but also in providing a decent outlet for Di María down the right. The Fiorentina defender was however booked and so misses the trip to Barranquilla meaning Martino must bring in a replacement. Roncaglia’s absence meant Martino drafted in River Plate’s experienced full-back, Gabriel Mercado but the assumption was that Gino Peruzzi would be the first choice.

Peruzzi himself was a late call-up when Pablo Zabaleta was ruled out but the fact that Martino preferred the Boca Juniors’ player initially suggested that he would be at the front of the queue. Peruzzi is the younger, more athletic full-back and certainly may have more to offer the national side in the future.

However, if Argentina’s final training session is anything to go by it will be Mercado lining up in Barranquilla. If Peruzzi finds himself behind Zabaleta, Roncaglia and now Mercado in the pecking order then his future in the national side, at least under Martino, looks bleak. The Boca defender was probably the stand-out full back in the Primera this season and at least from the outside would seem more deserving of a shot.

By a quirk of the qualifying scheduler, Argentina travel to Colombia for their fourth match, just as they did four years ago. And just as in 2011, La Albiceleste arrive under a certain amount of pressure due to a poor start to qualfication. Alejandro Sabella was under the microscope then, after a defeat to Venezuela and a draw against Bolivia but thanks to Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero, Argentina recorded a 2-1 victory and kick started their incredible run.

A point not lost in Gonzalo Higuaín, who will lead the attack once again: “We are in a situation similar to the last qualifying campaign when winning was vital. Hope there’s a similar repeat in Barranquilla.”

Tuesday afternoon will be substantially more difficult without Messi and Agüero but the importance of a positive result cannot be understated.

Argentina probable starting XI: Sergio Romero; Gabriel Mercado, Nicolás Otamendi, Ramiro Funes Mori, Marcos Rojo; Lucas Biglia, Javier Mascherano, Éver Banega; Ángel Di María, Gonzalo Higuaín, Ezequiel Lavezzi