Despite the Joeys coming into the fixture off the wave of momentum that was their first-ever World Cup finals win over Nigeria days prior, it was France’s Nathanaël Mbuku that drew the contest’s first blood in just the sixth minute of play.

The Stade de Reims attacker found himself in perfect position to give his side the lead when he turned in a close-range header created when combination play down the right flank sprung Brandon Soppy into space and allowed him to lay in a cutback that bobbled off the leg of Aussie keeper Adam Pavlesic and onto the head of Mbuku.

After bunkering down and absorbing a follow-up onslaught from the French, the Joeys were able to begin to summon their own modicum of resistance and were increasingly looking capable of stealing an equaliser as the first half wound down.

Alas, disaster struck for Australia in the 55th minute when a sliding challenge from Anton Milinaric came under the cold, unfeeling eye of the VAR. Though initially adjudged a yellow card on the field, a review from the bunker showed the true, dangerous nature of the challenge and earned the Sydney FC defender his marching orders.

The dagger was then delivered to Australian hopes in in in the 74th minute and twisted deeper in the 83rd when Mbuku added his second and third goals of the game from two assists by Adil Aouchiche.

The final blow was then delivered with just minutes remaining when Enzo Millot drilled home an effort from range to make it four in a result that, perhaps, represented an accurate summation of the gap between the two sides.

Two more late goals were thankfully chalked off for offside to spare the Joeys blushes any further.

France now move onto a quarterfinal meeting with fellow European giants Spain whilst Australia head home – the players of his squad now looking ahead to careers as Young Socceroos, and Morgan getting set to steer the next generation of Joeys.

With Les Blues having gone undefeated in group play in Brazil, the form guide already predicted the tough task in hand for Australia coming into Thursday’s contest.

Nonetheless, as the two sides stepped out onto the surface of Goiânia’s Estádio da Serrinha on Thursday morning, another challenge facing the Joeys became readily apparent: the difference in development in the bodies of the two sides.