Colombia and Argentina are gearing up for an exciting showdown this Tuesday in Barranquilla, as part of the eighth round of South American World Cup qualifiers. This match holds special significance for the Colombians, who are looking to redeem themselves after losing to Argentina in the Copa América final on July 14 in Miami.

Argentina heads into this game as the group leader with 18 points, while Colombia is in third place with 13 points. Under Lionel Scaloni, Argentina arrives with strong momentum following a decisive 3-0 victory over Chile at Buenos Aires' Monumental Stadium. However, Scaloni confirmed that Juventus winger Nico González trained separately due to a heel injury sustained in the last match, although Alexis Mac Allister, who also had some issues, trained normally and is expected to start.

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Colombia, on the other hand, will look to capitalize on the heat and humidity of Barranquilla in a match scheduled to be played under full sun. Coach Néstor Lorenzo is aiming for a better performance after a 1-1 draw against Peru last Friday in Lima. Lorenzo will be without central defender Yerry Mina due to yellow card accumulation. Mina had come on in the second half of the Peru match to replace Carlos Cuesta, who was injured. If Mina is unavailable, Yerson Mosquera from Wolverhampton is expected to take his place.

An interesting Opta Fact: Argentina has not lost in their last seven matches against Colombia in South American qualifiers (5 wins and 2 draws), the longest unbeaten streak for either team in their World Cup qualifying history. Colombia's last victory over Argentina in this tournament was in November 2007, when they won 2-1 at home.

Regarding the lineup, James Rodríguez, who played the second half against Peru and improved the team’s performance, is expected to start against Argentina. Additionally, young talents Jhon Durán from Aston Villa and Yasser Asprilla from Girona could be given the chance to start after their recent strong performances.

Lorenzo has stated that the team needs to enhance their performance, noting that they haven't reached the fluidity they showed in the Copa América. Scaloni, on the other hand, mentioned that some changes in the starting eleven might be made, but the Albiceleste is likely to maintain the core of the team that won against Chile.

This highly anticipated match in Barranquilla promises to be a fierce battle for crucial points in the race towards the 2026 World Cup.