Luisao had already sent a free header wide from Saviola’s corner when a bout of concerted home pressure ended with Di Maria crossing deep from the left to the far post where Saviola had lost the attentions of Coleman to strike a volley that bounced in beyond Tim Howard into the opposite corner.

For Coleman, this was a harsh introduction to the rarefied heights of European football.

Moyes had warned his players to be wary of the Latin American threat of Benfica, and Di Maria emerged as the most prominent danger throughout the opening period.

On 25 minutes, Di Maria skipped away from Tim Cahill – the Australian the latest to be handed the captain’s armband – and centred into the six-yard box where, in attempting to avert the danger, Distin almost sliced the ball into his own net.

Luisao also had a shot blocked before Di Maria again slalomed down the left flank and crossed for Ramires to head across the face of goal.

Despite living dangerously at the back, Everton enjoyed decent possession and started to wrest a degree of control in midfield.

But it took Moyes’s men until the 33rd minute to fashion a decent opportunity, Yakubu teeing up Diniyar Bilyaletdinov for a spectacular 20-yard volley that flew narrowly off target.

The same player worked space for another effort, and the strong end to the half gave Everton encouragement going into the second period.

That all ended when Benfica struck three times inside five minutes to rip the heart out of the Goodison outfit’s challenge.

The first, on 47 minutes, was a self-inflicted wound. A dozing Marouane Fellaini was dispossessed by Pablo Aimar, the ball was fed to Saviola and the Argentine sprinted into the area and crossed low for Oscar Cardozo to tap home.

Barely 60 seconds later, Di Maria waltzed down the left to the by-line and lifted a cross for Cardozo to head in from barely two yards for his 12th goal in 11 games. Too easy.

And it got worse on 52 minutes when an Aimar corner was glanced into the top corner by Luisao despite the best efforts of Gosling to clear off the line.

Di Maria’s outstanding display was missing only a goal, and he came close with a curling effort that smashed against the crossbar and then stung the pals of Howard with a vicious drive.

The Everton goalkeeper’s reflexes later denied Cardozo a hat-trick, while the woodwork prevented substitute Louis Saha notching a consolation late on.

But Di Maria inevitably had the final word six minutes from time, latching on to a long ball behind Hibbert and crossing for Saviola to score.