Substituting the lifesaving goalkeeper after 119 minutes, Popovic gambled Australia out of the World Cup.

In the 119th minute, the substitution board went up. Patrick Beach stared at the fourth official, probably thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him.

In the 90+3rd minute, he had just pulled Australia back from the brink with a goalline save. He had held firm for the entire thirty minutes of extra time, the most reliable link on the field. Then, Popovic substituted him off.

Standing up from the bench was Matthew Ryan. A veteran who hadn't played a single minute in the group stage of this World Cup. Called to the sideline, he looked bewildered. After the match, ESPN revealed a fatal detail: neither goalkeeper knew about the substitution plan before the game. Beach said bluntly into a microphone: "I found out at the same time you journalists did."

A young man who played well for 119 minutes was pulled off; an old veteran who sat on the bench the entire game was pushed on. Both were informed at the last second.

In the penalty shootout, Egypt scored all four of their penalties. Ryan made four saves, all in the wrong direction, not even touching the ball. 2-4, Australia went home.

Popovic was clearly trying to replicate Louis van Gaal's masterstroke from 2014. In that World Cup quarterfinal, Netherlands vs Costa Rica, in the 121st minute, Van Gaal substituted Krul for Cillessen specifically for penalties. Krul saved two, Netherlands advanced, and the "penalty goalkeeper" tactic became textbook. But Van Gaal could only do that because Krul knew his role beforehand, practiced save directions in warm-up, and thoroughly studied the opponents' penalty habits.

That was calculation. Popovic's was blind panic.

Both goalkeepers were kept in the dark. One had just saved the team and was cast aside. The other hadn't broken a sweat yet was sent in to save penalties in a World Cup knockout match. Van Gaal would probably curse upon seeing this. Former international goalkeeper Schwarzer could only mutter in the studio: "You should never change goalkeepers in that situation." Bosnich was more direct, using one word: "Astounded."

Before the goalkeeper hole could be filled, the penalty taker list laid another mine. Look at how Australia lined up their five takers.

First round: captain Souttar, center-back, skied it. Second round: midfielder Irvine, scored; Egypt's Rabia also scored. Third round: winger Mabil, scored. Then Salah stepped up to the spot.

A Panenka penalty. Nonchalantly chipped it down the middle, staring at the just-substituted Ryan. Salah casually dropped a line afterward: "I decided at the last moment." You bring on a veteran specifically to save penalties, and the opposition's star completely ignores your mind game. 2-3.

Fourth round: Lucas Herrington.

Another center-back. 18 years old, just transferred from the Australian A-League to MLS. Tall, good in the air for headers in the box, but taking a penalty isn't heading. Asking a bricklayer to do embroidery. The result: run-up, kick, ball smashes the crossbar and bounces out.

Five penalty takers for Australia: two center-backs, both missed; two attackers, both scored. Any elementary student could do that math. Plenty of attacking players were sitting on the bench. Yet in the fourth round of a World Cup knockout penalty shootout, Popovic handed fate to an 18-year-old center-back.

At the post-match press conference, reporters pressed him: why let Herrington take it?

According to The Nightly, Popovic was "clearly displeased" and snapped: "I didn't even think about who missed. We're going home. The World Cup is over." That sounds like protecting the player, but actually slides from tactical error into emotional venting, an old trick. Even more farcical was his other statement: "Australian football has never been respected."

He's been using this "underdog grievance" rhetoric since the group stage. His logic is perfectly circular: the outside world underestimates us, losing is a moral victory, anyone who criticizes me disrespects Australian football. He built himself a shield.

But the facts? A manager substitutes the man of the match in the 119th minute, sends on a cold veteran who saved nothing, and has an 18-year-old center-back take the crucial penalty that hits the bar. After engineering such disastrous micro-management, he turns around and tells the press the problem is "outside disrespect." The players carried the burden on the field; he only talks about "not being respected" at the press conference, as if the loss was all the media's fault for not showing enough respect.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said something honest on Fox Sports' studio: "Penalties are like buying a lottery ticket. Score and you're a hero. Miss and you're zero. But I want to contact Herrington. You're 18. This is just the beginning. If you want someone to talk to, I'm here."

Warm words, but warmth can't change the score. An 18-year-old's tuition fee, paid at the penalty spot in a World Cup knockout match, is an image that will follow him for a long time.

Egypt secured their first World Cup knockout victory in history. And Beach could only sit on the bench, watching his teammates miss four in a row. Popovic had long since washed his hands of it with a "not respected," absolving himself cleanly.