The game saw the first decisive use of the video assistant referee system in a World Cup match. With 56 minutes gone, 'Socceroos' defender Josh Ridson appeared to have executed the perfect last-ditch challenge on Antoine Griezmann, only for Uruguayan official Andres Cunha to stop the game a minute later to check the pitch-side monitors. He decided that a foul had been committed, with Griezmann making no mistake from 12 yards.
With Australian fans left open-mouthed, manager Bert Van Marwijk was hardly impressed either, hitting out at the VAR system following the game and suggesting that the official may have sided with the French owing to their status as bigger fish in the footballing world.
A much less controversial penalty decision saw Australia equalise shortly afterwards as Samuel Umtiti inexplicably handled the ball way above his head to hand Van Marwijk's men a route back into the game.
However, Australia were to be denied a famous result late on as technology intervened once again. There was no doubt this time though as Paul Pogba's poked efford clipped a defender before crashing into the underside and the bar and over the line, with goal-line technology quicky confirming that the goal was indeed a valid one.
Following the game, it was put to Van Marwijk that the defeat had been a 21st century one, something which is hard to deny. Whilst the Dutchman was understandably frustrated to lose a game that his side could easily have won 1-0 with traditional refereeing, disappointment of that nature looks set to become much more commonplace in the coming years as VAR further infiltrates the beautiful game.