Sammy Lee headed the only goal at Anfield on 11 April 1984, giving Liverpool a narrow lead in their European Cup semi-final against Dinamo Bucharest. The Romanian side restricted Liverpool's opportunities and threatened enough on the break to keep the tie open for the return in a fortnight.
Craig Johnston returned in place of John Wark, who was ineligible for the competition. Dinamo defended in numbers, but Ionel Augustin almost put them ahead: he broke through, beat Bruce Grobbelaar with his shot and struck a post.
Liverpool scored midway through the first half. After a challenge on Johnston brought a free-kick on the left, Alan Kennedy crossed into the penalty area. Lee arrived to head down and across Dumitru Moraru into the far corner.
The match became increasingly contentious. Referee André Daina booked four Dinamo players, including Ioan Andone, who would be suspended for the second leg. Lică Movilă suffered a broken jaw after Graeme Souness punched him, an act the Liverpool captain acknowledged in later accounts. At the time, Souness denied knowledge of the incident when Dinamo accused him; the referee had not seen it.
The visitors still offered a threat after the interval, Costel Orac failing to convert a volley from Cornel Țălnar's cross. Liverpool could not add to Lee's goal. They would go to Bucharest with a clean sheet and a one-goal lead.