So what, exactly, unfolded in that dramatic finish?
Snicko is best known from cricket, but in recent years football has adopted comparable technology.
Adidas’s Trionda match ball for this year’s World Cup contains a microchip that detects any contact with the ball.
It transmits precise data—every touch by boot or hand—to the video assistant referee in real time.
Soon after the incident, FIFA issued a statement backing the decision, saying the technology confirmed Matanovic made contact with the ball.
Sweden had earlier benefited from the system in their match against Tunisia.
Mattias Svanberg saw a goal initially ruled offside, but Snicko indicated a faint touch from team-mate Alexander Isak; by then Svanberg had moved back onside, so the goal was awarded.
Similar tech was used at the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 European Championship.
At his post-match news conference, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic declined to delve into the late equaliser that was ruled out.
He said he would not comment much, but felt the refereeing was very poor.
Dalic argued they were denied fouls and set-pieces they should have had, adding that while it wasn’t an excuse for the defeat, the officiating was bad.
He lamented that decisions like these drain the emotion and joy from football.
He added that VAR kills the emotion of the game and has gone too far.
Portugal boss Roberto Martinez took a different view.
The Spaniard said it was a pity one team had to lose, but maintained the call was clear, not down to luck or error.
He noted the chip in the ball, saying the sensor showed it was touched.
As it happened, former England defender Matt Upson told 5 Live it was difficult to tell in real time whether Matanovic made contact.
He described the emotional swing of a last-second equaliser being taken away and questioned whether there was any touch, saying replays didn’t convince him because the ball’s spin didn’t appear to change.
After watching again at full-time, Upson said he still saw no change in the ball’s direction or spin and, while it might have looked like a touch, he wasn’t convinced it was proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Meanwhile, former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann messaged presenter Mark Chapman to explain that Matanovic was offside when a team-mate last played the ball and that the defender’s contact was a deflection, not a deliberate play, so the offside call stood.
He added that Snicko clearly showed a flick-on touch.