IT was billed the game Everton literally couldn’t lose. And it left David Moyes with plenty of reasons to believe he could be on to a winner this coming season.

The meeting between the Goodison outfit and their South American namesakes wasn’t just an historic occasion in which the inaugural Brotherhood Cup was at stake.

For Moyes there was further affirmation his team’s preparations remain on course, confidence built by the strong showing after the turn of the year carried into the summer.

So continues Everton’s perfect pre-season. Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Heart, Sydney FC, Preston North End, Norwich City and now Everton Chile have been confidently dispatched, all while avoiding any major injuries.

The new arrivals continue to give quiet encouragement, while with each returning World Cup star comes the growing realisation this is without doubt the strongest squad at Moyes’s disposal during his eight-year reign.

And then there was the sight of Marouane Fellaini making his first appearance since suffering ankle ligament damage in the Merseyside derby defeat at Anfield on February 6.

The Belgian emerged at half-time to a rapturous ovation and didn’t take long to show there are clearly no lingering psychological effects from his injury, given the manner in which his overzealous challenge sent opposing midfielder Lucas Nania tumbling.

Beckford, though, will rightly take the plaudits after setting Everton on their way to victory with a well-taken header shortly after half-time.

Even without his goal, the striker demonstrated why his free transfer from Leeds United could provide further justification for Moyes’s willingness to gamble, whether it be enforced or not, on talents from the lower leagues.

Beckford possesses a genuine threat up front with his pace, and his direct style and willingness to shoot on sight will surely make him a crowd favourite. This, then, was the ideal Goodison calling card.

Without doubt, the evening was a success both on and off the field, a healthy crowd of more than 25,000 attending a notable occasion in the history of both clubs.