BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (AFP) - Under-pressure Brazil need a return of the winning samba beat here on Wednesday against perennial arch-rivals Argentina to haul themselves back up the South American World Cup qualifying table.

Brazil, the only team to have played in every World Cup finals, lie in fourth spot in the table behind Paraguay, who outplayed them to win 2-0 in Ascunsion on Sunday, Argentina and Colombia.

The first four at the end of the games qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, while the fifth-placed team takes on the fourth-placed team in the CONCACAF zone for the remaining spot.

A poker-faced Dunga, speaking to the press on his habitual Monday slot, was digesting the defeat after goals by Blackburn recruit Roque Santa Cruz and Salavador Cabanas each side of the interval earned Paraguay their win.

He spoke optimistically of Brazil, just one place in the table above Venezuela who are the only team never to have qualified for a finals, raising their game against Argentina.

And Brazil proved their recent shock against Paraguay was not just an isolated incident -- they lost 2-0 on June 6 in Boston to Venezuela who notched their first ever victory over the five-time world champions.

"Surely we are going to give a lot more in this match against Argentina than against Paraguay," said Dunga, adding: "It's a different match from the others, as much for us and for them, and we will have to keep our wits about us."

Dunga was not expected to make major changes for the Argentina match saying a coach must never lose his cool, probably meaning rash selections at this stage could only harm the team.

Though most forecasts predict Argentina as slight favourites, Dunga claimed they had a good chance, and, referring to Argentina, said all teams have their defects and weak points, but said they would have to beware Argentina's good crafting of scoring opportunities.

"We must prepare in the best possible way to make sure we win this match," added Dunga, who was a tough-tackling central defender and captain of Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning side in the USA.

"We will have discussions with the players and we will analyse the game (against Paraguay) though we won't have to completely change our way of playing just because of one match."

Statisticians will note Dunga has beaten Argentina on both occasions since he has become coach, the last a 3-0 victory in the final of the last Copa America, or South American football championships.

Left back Gilberto claimed they needed a boost in morale and to simply play better if they wanted to beat their old, footballing enemies.

"The game against Argentina is not a match in isolation," said Gilberto, "We needed two victories this week but we were not up to it against Paraguay so we will need to try and play better against Argentina."

The national press has been urging for Brazil to win this match, not just for their bid to reach the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, but also to raise morale before Dunga takes Brazil on their Olympic campaign in August.

Argentina coach Alfio Basile meanwhile told the Argentine press that they would play better than in their 1-1 draw against Ecuador at the weekend, when stars such as Lionel Messi and Sergio did not produce their usual high standard.

"We will improve against Brazil," Basile told the Nation newspaper.

Basile said he would have to check on the conditions of Javier Mascherano of Liverpool and Juan Sebastian Veron, both injured against Ecuador, though Bayern Munich's Martin Demichelis is definitely out suspended.

Demichelis could be replaced by either Gonzalo Rodriguez or Fabricio Coloccini, Basile added.