English referee Graham Poll's error in not sending Croatia defender Joe Simunic off automatically for a second yellow card, allowing him to remain on the field undetected for the final seven minutes of the dramatic 2-2 draw that saw Australia through to the second round, nearly had dire consequences for the Socceroos.
Australian-born Simunic ended up having enough cards to play world series poker instead of World Cup football.
After his first two - for a fend to the throat of Harry Kewell then a rugby-style tackle on Josh Kennedy - he even managed to pick up a third yellow card before the bumbling Poll finally issued him an overdue red as the final whistle blew.
FFA chief executive John O'Neill said the mistake would have left the Socceroos grounds for a "very strong appeal" had Croatia won the match.
"They should have been down one player. There's been a mistake made and my understanding is that it's the sort of mistake that could have brought about a replay of the game," O'Neill said.
"I'm sure if the situation was in reverse, you'd have heard a lot about it."
An investigation into the Simunic debacle is under way.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said it was inexcusable the referee, two linesmen and the fourth official all missed the fact Simunic's second caution wasn't followed by a red card.
"I'm surprised. We had four wired (officials). It's not understandable that nobody intervened," Blatter told reporters in Berlin.
The Socceroos have now advanced to the second round despite enduring three controversial refereeing displays at the World Cup.
First Egyptian referee Essam Abd El Fatah allowed Japan a goal when others might have called back the play for a debateable foul on goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
Over-officious German referee Markus Merk then hammered the Socceroos with 25 fouls to nine against Brazil before Poll plumbed new depths, waving away two possible Australia penalties prior to Simunic's card fiasco.
But the Socceroos can console themselves with one piece of disciplinary good fortune to balance that, with Kewell surprisingly let off after exploding at Merk after the Brazil game.
It was Kewell who managed the equaliser against Croatia which guided Australia through to its round of 16 showdown with Italy in Kaiserslautern on Tuesday at 1am AEST.
Vince Grella has also survived after a couple of poor tackles, not least a potential leg breaker on Ronaldo in the Brazil game that might have seen him sent off on any other occasion.
Meanwhile, O'Neill said Australia officials hoped to plan a tickertape parade for the Socceroos after their World Cup achievements.
It would ideally come around the time of the team's Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait in Sydney in mid-August.
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