Phil Neal scored twice as Liverpool recovered from an early penalty to beat Zürich 3–1 at the Letzigrund on 6 April 1977. Steve Heighway supplied the other goal and won the penalty for Neal's second, giving Bob Paisley's side a substantial advantage in their European Cup semi-final.
Liverpool's starting eleven was unchanged from the team which had beaten Leeds United four days earlier. David Fairclough retained his place alongside Kevin Keegan, while Terry McDermott, Jimmy Case, Ray Kennedy and Heighway were all involved. The task was now European, with a place in the final in Rome at stake.
The opening went Zürich's way. Tommy Smith's challenge on Alfred Scheiwiler brought a penalty, and Peter Risi converted it despite Ray Clemence getting a touch. Liverpool were behind within the first six minutes, but the lead did not last long enough to define the evening.
Neal equalised around the quarter-hour. Following a foul on Keegan, Kennedy lifted the free-kick beyond the Zürich defenders. Neal arrived to control the ball on his thigh and shoot into the far corner. The full-back's contribution restored parity, and the sides reached half-time at 1–1.
Three minutes into the second half, Heighway put Liverpool ahead. McDermott found him with a pass and he drove towards goal, beating two defenders before finishing beyond Karl Grob. His running would also help create the final goal, this time after Fairclough had turned the ball inside from the touchline.
Heighway advanced into the penalty area and was brought down. Neal took the resulting spot-kick in the 67th minute and made it 3–1. Liverpool had answered Zürich's early goal with three of their own, two of them supplied by a defender and the other by the player central to their second-half attacking work.
The semi-final was not yet finished, but its shape had changed decisively. Liverpool would return to Anfield on 20 April with a two-goal lead and three away goals. Unlike the quarter-final against Saint-Étienne, the home leg would begin with an advantage to protect and extend, rather than a deficit to repair.