Liverpool dawdled to their third European Cup semi-final last night by beating Benfica 4-1 at Anfield to complete a 6-2 victory on aggregate over the Portuguese champions who provided further depressing evidence of their steep decline. Having completed the major part of their task by winning amid the rains of Lisbon and always with an eye on Saturday's League Cup Final, Liverpool spent much of the game playing uncharacteristically loose and, at times, almost lackadaisical football once they had put the tie beyond Benfica's reach with two early goals. In the last quarter-hour the holders showed some sympathy for the television highlights by scoring two more but in between times their play tended to be marked only by inaccurate passes and a series of ragged movements as they formed a half-interested queue to take pot shots at Bento, ever insecure in the Benfica goal. Bento's haphazard relationship with his defence in general and the ball in particular meant that Benfica were seldom in a position to make more than a token attempt at saving the tie. The slightly built goalkeeper, moustache drooping above his mournful purple jersey, summed up the air of hopelessness with which Benfica approached the game and, as one or two of their players leapt to avoid tackles that never came, it was always obvious that the chances of Liverpool retaining the European Cup could not be judged any more accurately on last night's game than they could during last season's canter past Zurich in the semi-finals. Liverpool fielded the side that had won in Lisbon, with Case, McDermott, Callaghan, and Kennedy ranged behind Dalglish and Heighway but with even more intention of playing the game in their opponents' half.

A flurry of snow at the start must have completed Benfica's feelings of alienation from the proceedings and, for a few minutes, it was rather like watching football through a lace curtain. Almost as soon as the snow stopped, Liverpool increased their overall lead. Bento allowing a shot of no great pace from Callaghan to slip past him after six minutes. Eleven minutes later Toni, under pressure from Callaghan, passed back into a void and Dalglish, ever ready for such opportunities, ran on 40 yards for Liverpool’s second goal and their fourth in all. This was much in accordance with Liverpool's scheme of things - two early goals and a gentle unwind in preparation for Saturday's encounter with Nottingham Forest. However, midway through the first half, Nene brought them back to the job in hand with a goal that offered a reminder of the recurring uncertainties in Liverpool's defence. While the initial fault lay with Case for allowing a ball from Lopes to reach Nene, there was still no sign of a covering tackle as the man who had scored Benfica's goal in Lisbon continued to take a modicum of personal satisfaction from his team's long lost cause. Little else happened until the 78th minute when McDermott, really the only Liverpool player to reach his true form, sent a shot through Bento's obliging arms. Two minutes from the end Neal scored sharply from a narrow angle to ensure that the result presented a more accurate reflection of the disparities that always lay between the sides.

Liverpool enjoyed a four-goal romp into the semi-finals of the European Cup, at Anfield last night, when they comprehensively disposed of Benfica in the 2nd leg of the quarter final. Goals on this occasion - and there were five of them - did not necessarily indicate a cracker of a match, for it was a mistake-riddled game. Maybe Liverpool had Wembley on Saturday on their minds, but the fluency in their play came only in spasms. The match was not so much a chapter of errors as a volume. Few could claim they were immune to the errors, but more convincing than most were Phil Thompson, Callaghan, Dalglish and Heighway. Only the result mattered and Benfica, 2-1 down from the first leg, were never in with a chance. It was hard to get excited about the play and it remained a fact that the only shot directed at Clemence was the one that gave Benfica their goal. Benfica began as nervously as kittens and any lingering hopes they might have had were wiped out in 17 minutes by the concession of two goals. But when Liverpool should have been lording their mastery all over the pitch, they unaccountably found the malady feeding the opposition spreading into their own ranks. It was an error that gave Benfica a goal and a degree of ambition, where previously there had only been deep despair as the Portuguese lay back, apparently fearing the worst. After the rain of Lisbon a fortnight ago, the Portuguese were welcomed to Anfield by a brisk snowfall, but fortunately it did not last long. What a mixed night it was for Jimmy Case. He seemed set for a starring role when he slipped a quick pass into Ian Callaghan's path after only six minutes. Callaghan, who will be 36 next month, struck an angled drive of some power. There was a deflection but it was still a shock when goalkeeper Bento, after getting his hands to the ball, allowed it to pass under his body and over the line. It was Callaghan's first goal of the season. Bento had given earlier indications of his highly nervous condition with his indiscriminate goal-kicks, and it was not until the second half that he began to show more confidence and a semblance of form. Callaghan's goal was sufficient to set off the jubilant Kop with the chant: "Forest, Forest you are next", but Liverpool will have to put on a more realistic performance than this to worry Brian Clough's team on Saturday.

It was another tragic blunder by the Portuguese that cost them a second goal in 17 minutes. There was no apparent danger when Toni, passing back, simply stroked the ball into the path of the flying Dalglish. Benfica quickly learned that this was a sort of indiscretion they could not afford as the Scot raced on and gave Bento no chance. Needing four goals for victory, Benfica were drifting hopelessly. It was not until a Case blunder after 25 minutes that they had the slightest glimmer of hope. Case outdid the Portuguese defence by pushing the ball accommodatingly to Nene's feet with Clemence left stranded. Case went through an anxious spell, for the harder he tried to make amends, the more his accuracy deserted him. He hardly looked like a man playing for a Wembley place on Saturday but he was not the only sinner by any means. He sought to pull himself together in the way he knows best for he fired two cracking drives that were only narrow margins away from making him a scoring hero. It is easy to imagine Case's feelings after giving the goal away, for no doubt it brought memories crowding back to him of a similar disaster that overtook him in last year's European Final. To their credit, the crowd got right behind Case and no doubt their encouragement did more than anything else to put him at his ease. Although Liverpool shed much of their uncertainty with the interval, as they embarked on the task of consolidation, they found goals harder to score. McDermott only just failed to turn a Heighway cross into goal and Dalglish was clearly annoyed with himself when a Neal free kick opened up an avenue for him, only to blaze wide. It was sheer nonsense that Liverpool found it so difficult to put the skids firmly under Benfica's feet long before the end for Benfica seemed to be theirs for the taking. It was with a sense of relief that McDermott put Liverpool back into Easy Street in 78 minutes. When Heighway got to the line and crossed, Kennedy and Dalglish had shots charged down before the ball came back to McDermott who made no mistake. The match ended on a high note with Liverpool's fourth goal. When Heighway was obstructed in the area McDermott screwed a shot from Dalglish's free kick wide to Neal who hammered a fine drive just inside the post. It was a useful exercise and the fact that Liverpool pulled up free from injury was a comforting thought to manager Bob Paisley.