The line between genius and insanity can be wafer thin. When the Socceroos coach, Ange Postecoglou, made six changes to his starting line-up to face the South American champions, Chile, many critics thought he was deluded. The embattled manager left two of his best attacking players – Aaron Mooy and Tom Rogic – on the bench, for an encounter Australia needed to win by two goals to qualify for the 2017 Confederations Cup semi-finals.

On a warm Moscow evening Postecoglou’s surprising team selection proved inspired. Australia played with vigour and dynamism, matching and at times even outplaying a Chilean side 44 places above them in the Fifa rankings. Following two insipid performances in recent days the Socceroos were outstanding on Sunday.

Chile 1-1 Australia: Confederations Cup – as it happened Read more

But a first-half goal from James Troisi was later cancelled out by Chile’s Martín Rodríguez and the 1-1 draw was not enough for Australia to progress to the knockout phase of the tournament. Despite one of their best performances in recent years the required two-goal win was elusive.

After playing their earlier matches of the Confederations Cup at sparsely attended stadiums in front of disinterested spectators the atmosphere finally arrived for the Socceroos. While the recently constructed Spartak Stadium was not nearly at capacity, vocal Chilean fans, patches of Australian support and enthusiastic Muscovites provided an apt setting for the match.

Not intimidated by a rousing rendition of the opposition’s national anthem, the Australians began with an aggressive attacking style. But the Chilean threat was ever present. Mat Ryan in Australia’s goal was forced to make an impressive double-save in the seventh minute and Ryan McGowan later blocked a dangerous attempt by Eduardo Vargas. As the half progressed, Chile began to exert their dominance on the match.

The controversial Video Assistant Referee (VAR) then threatened to intervene. Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez was through on goal when the veteran Australian defender Mark Milligan deftly extracted the ball from behind, Sánchez falling in the process. Almost a minute later the Italian referee, Gianluca Rocchi, called play to halt and, while the decision ultimately came back in Australia’s favour, the frustration among the Socceroos during the delay was palpable.

The physical Australian approach took its toll and by the 32nd minute three of Postecoglou’s players had received bookings. But there was far more to the Socceroos game plan than simply knocking the Chileans off their feet. Throughout the first half Australia were composed in defence and measured when bringing the ball forward. The Socceroos were taking the game to the world No4 ranked Chile with considerable success.

Their efforts were rewarded in the 42nd minute. Australia sent numbers forward with slicing build-up play before a shot from Robbie Kruse was deflected into the path of Troisi. The mercurial playmaker – who qualified the Socceroos for this tournament with his winning goal in the 2015 Asian Cup final – calmly lobbed an onrushing Claudio Bravo.

Against both Germany and Cameroon this week Australia conceded in the shadow of the half-time interval. When Arturo Vidal met a Sánchez cross with a powerful header that sailed towards the netting, it appeared the trend was to continue. But a last-ditch intervention from Trent Sainsbury prevented a certain La Roja equaliser, and the Socceroos entered the break with a lead.

They returned from the tunnel in a similar fashion, looking the better team at times in the early minutes after the break. But Chile hit back, the substitute Rodríguez putting a shot past Ryan after the South American was played onside by the Australian back three. They could have had another three minutes later but Vargas misconnected with a header as the goalmouth stood unguarded. There were hints of a handball in the clearance of the Socceroos’ defender McGowan, but the referee Rocchi declined to review.

Neither side really threatened in the final stages, the fatigue of three games in a week clearly showing in players from both sides. Try as they might, Australia was unable to find a winner, let alone the two goals they needed to keep their competition hopes alive but the normally reserved Postecoglou was outwardly disappointed afterthe draw. “I didn’t come here to sightsee,” Postecoglou said . “I came here to achieve something and we have fallen short. So I will pack my bags and be on my way [back to Australia].”

The former A-League coach has been involved in tense exchanges during the past week with the travelling Australian media pack and even the hint of vindication offered by his side’s performance did not placate him. “At some point in time I will be replaced by ‘John the pragmatist’ and you can all be happy and revel in it,” he said. “But I will stick true to what I have started doing in this job. We will play a certain kind of football, take it to opposition teams and see where it takes us.”

Tim Cahill collected his 100th cap, leaving him nine appearances short of Mark Schwarzer’s all-time record, and in contrast to the attitude of his manager, the veteran forward was enthusiastic about the draw. “We dominated large parts of the game,” Cahill said. “If you see how Chile played they just lumped the ball long. We tried to play every situation we could. We got the goal and we should have had a lot more. Chile is one of the best teams in the world, so it was great to have an opportunity to play against the best and stand level with them.”

Postecoglou can take heart from an overwhelmingly positive showing, as he now starts preparing for vital World Cup qualifiers in late August and early September. If Australia can replicate this performance when they face Japan and Thailand, the Socceroos will be returning to Russia in 2018.