Wednesday exited the FA Cup at Premier League Chelsea, going down 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.
The tie evoked memories of big games between the two teams in bygone years, long before the advent of VAR.
The technology was in place in this fourth round clash and in the first half proved the talking point with a tale of two penalties.
One was awarded to Wednesday before being overturned and the other stood that gave Chelsea the advantage, Willian scoring from 12 yards.
A Callum Hudson-Odoi strike in the second half and another from Willian sealed the Blues’ passage to round five and the Owls made the long haul back to Sheffield out of luck and the competition.
Despite being on the back foot through the early exchanges, it was Wednesday who created first as Adam Reach shot down the throat of Willy Caballero.
That was a rare sortie upfield for the Owls, but from their next attack, VAR took centre stage.
Joey Pelupessy tangled in the box with Ethan Ampadu and the referee pointed to the spot. Moments later, though, the penalty was ruled out by VAR – and Chelsea promptly ventured forward and won a spot kick of their own.
Sam Hutchinson was adjudged to have tripped Cesar Azpillicueta and again the referee had no hesitation. VAR upheld the decision this time and Willian did the formalities with 26 minutes gone.
The Owls had to regroup and this they did for the remainder of the opening period, defending stoutly, and the penalty aside, Keiren Westwood barely had a shot to save.
Wednesday upped the ante after the break and a looping cross from Reach rattled the frame of the goal, almost catching Cabalerro unawares.
Chelsea’s new loan recruit Gonzalo Higuain glanced a header wide at the other end but most of the play unfolded in the centre of the park.
That was until, with 65 minutes on the clock, the hosts all but put the tie to bed. Andreas Christensen spread accurately to Hudson-Odoi and the wideman cut inside to finish firmly past Westwood.
The uphill task was made all the more unlikely and try as they might, Wednesday found it difficult to stop the by now confident hosts dominating possession.
And there was no real surprise when the third goal arrived seven minutes from time as Willian doubled his tally with a well-placed drive following a clever give and go with substitute Olivier Giroud.
Wednesday: Westwood, Palmer, Lees, Thorniley, Fox, Boyd (Nuhiu 75), Bannan, Hutchinson, Pelupessy (Forestieri 69), Reach, Fletcher (Joao 75)