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The Welsh side earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to sustain their aspirations of World Cup progress.

Wales' James notched his debut international strike for Wales from inside the box after the home side's group of professionals, office workers and students had resisted for more than 60 minutes. James ran off in elation with his obvious relief mirrored by the 3,000 Welsh supporters occupying multiple stands of the venue in the capital.

Soon afterwards, though, Jordan James was booked and another yellow for his midfield partner ensured the two players are unavailable for the upcoming crucial match with North Macedonia due to accumulated bookings.

The Cardiff City Stadium fixture is a encounter the Welsh team must win to overtake their rivals and secure a better draw in the qualifying playoffs in next spring.

Bellamy had an different perspective from the dugout, the Wales manager undertaking a sideline suspension after picking up a additional booking in the competition earlier.

Bellamy’s deputy Cremers took his place in the coaching zone and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were at risk of suspension from being absent for the last group game. Both James and Ampadu received cautions in situations that could really hurt Wales.

Their opponents, placed 206 out of 210 teams in world football, had not scored in their winless run and conceded twenty-three goals at an rate of almost four per fixture.

The visitors unsurprisingly had most of the play as Liechtenstein lay in a low defensive block and defended in numbers.

Their opponent's target was rarely tested until Nathan Broadhead high press won possession and Jordan James saw his shot from the edge of the box pushed aside by Büchel.

A similar move crafted an opportunity, James finding his teammate on this occasion with a accurate pass behind the defence.

The attacker's fine touch evaded Büchel but the forward failed to finish from a tight angle.

The Welsh team believed they'd broken the deadlock after 26 minutes when Jordan James nodded a high Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a congested goal area.

Büchel was harassed by Lawlor and Rodon, and his poor clearance landed with Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' elation were cut short when the match official was instructed to the video review system and decided that one or more of the Welsh central defenders was in an illegal position from Jordan's header.

Wales raised the tempo after the half-time and Sorba Thomas sent in a ball to the far post which the winger struck the woodwork.

Neco Williams then directed his header off target from within the penalty box as it appeared like a difficult match for Wales.

However, with the match having ticked into its final half-hour, Williams executed a shrewd through ball for his teammate to get in behind the opposition backline.

Daniel James cut out the goalkeeper with a superb ball into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan James had the simple job of easing Welsh tension.