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The Welsh side claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over underdogs Liechtenstein to sustain their chances of World Cup finals progress.

Wales' James scored his first goal for Wales from close range after Liechtenstein’s group of professionals, amateurs and students had defended for more than 60 minutes. The scorer wheeled away in delight with his visible excitement echoed by the three thousand Welsh supporters packed into multiple stands of the stadium in the capital.

Moments later, yet, James was shown a yellow card and a further yellow for his midfield partner means the pair are unavailable for the upcoming decisive game with North Macedonia through accumulated bookings.

The Wales' ground contest is a clash the Welsh team have to secure victory in to overtake their rivals and guarantee a better seeding in the final round in March.

Craig Bellamy had an unfamiliar perspective from the stands, the Wales manager completing a technical area prohibition after being shown a further caution in the competition last month.

Bellamy’s assistant Piet Cremers stood in in the technical area and four of Wales’s starters – Jordan James, Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were a booking away from missing the concluding match. Two of them received cautions in moments that may damage their team.

Their opponents, placed among the lowest-ranked in international football, had been goalless in their winless run and conceded 23 times at an average of nearly four per game.

The visitors as expected controlled the ball as their hosts lay in a low defensive block and got bodies behind the ball.

Liechtenstein's net was rarely tested until Broadhead high press forced an error and Jordan James saw his effort from the edge of the box pushed aside by Büchel.

The same combination crafted an opportunity, Jordan finding his teammate on this occasion with a precise ball over the top.

Broadhead’s superb touch beat the keeper but the Wrexham striker was unable to score from a difficult angle.

Wales believed they'd broken the deadlock after the opening period when Jordan James headed a deep Thomas corner back into a congested goal area.

The Liechtenstein keeper was under pressure by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his poor clearance landed with Nathan Broadhead who scored decisively. But Wales' celebrations were cut short when the official was instructed to the pitchside monitor and decided that at least one of the Wales centre-halves was in an offside from James’s initial touch.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the interval and Thomas delivered a ball to the back post which James rattled against the crossbar.

Williams then headed wide from within the penalty box as it began to look like a difficult match for Wales.

However, with the match having ticked into its 61st minute, Neco Williams executed a clever pass for his teammate to run past the Liechtenstein defenders.

Daniel James beat Büchel with a delightful cross along the six-yard box, and his teammate Jordan James had the simple task of easing Wales' nerves.