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Brazil v Argentina preview

Image: Anderson: Set for Brazil start

Brazil will look to get their World Cup qualifying campaign back on track against arch-rivals Argentina, live on Sky Sports 1.

Arch-rivals clash in World Cup qualifier

Brazil will be looking to get their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign back on track when they face arch-rivals Argentina, live on Sky Sports 1. Brazil put in a lacklustre performance away to Paraguay on Sunday and were beaten 2-0 by the group leaders, despite the hosts spending almost half the game with 10 men. Uruguay's 6-0 win over Peru on Tuesday then sent the five-time World Cup winners down into fifth place in the South American group and outside the four automatic qualification places with five games played. Argentina are second but are hardly in high spirits either after needing a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at home to Ecuador on Sunday. Brazil coach Dunga is without star players Kaka and Ronaldinho, but having suffered a first-ever defeat by Venezuela in a recent friendly, he has come under fire from the Brazilian media.

No panic

Dunga is resisting calls to make wholesale changes, though, and victory in Belo Horizonte would see them climb above their arch-rivals. "We will certainly play a lot better against Argentina than we did against Paraguay," he said. "I know these players and the way they play. "We've played with this midfield before, we've won and we've lost, and sometimes a change in attitude is better than a change of player. "We're not going to change our entire way of working because of one game." Brazil are expected to make at least two changes, however, with Manchester United midfielder Anderson and Real Madrid striker Julio Baptista set to come in for Josue and Diego. Argentina have injury doubts over midfield duo Javier Mascherano and Juan Sebastian Veron, while Martin Demichelis is suspended after a second yellow card against Ecuador.
Poor record
And the omens are not good for the Albiceleste, with their last victory on Brazilian soil coming in April 1998, while Brazil have won their last three meetings by three goals including last year's Copa America final. "We have the same pressure as Brazil," said midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme. "It's a very important match for both sides. "But it's not important how the teams got here. What really matters is that we play well and do enough to get the win."

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