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The Welsh side earned a narrow 1-0 win over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to sustain their hopes of World Cup qualification.

Wales' James claimed his debut international strike for the national team from near the goal after the home side's group of full-time players, office workers and part-timers had defended for over an hour. The scorer ran off in delight with his obvious relief mirrored by the three thousand Wales supporters filling three sides of the venue in Vaduz.

Moments later, however, Jordan James was cautioned and another yellow for his midfield partner ensured the pair are ruled out for Tuesday’s decisive game with North Macedonia through accumulated bookings.

The home venue contest is a game Wales need to win to leapfrog their rivals and secure a more favourable seeding in the playoffs in March.

Craig Bellamy had an unfamiliar view from the stands, the head coach completing a touchline ban after being shown a second yellow card in the competition last month.

Bellamy’s deputy Piet Cremers assumed duties in the coaching zone and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were at risk of suspension from being absent for the concluding match. Two of them received cautions in incidents that may damage their team.

Their opponents, placed 206 out of 210 teams in global rankings, had been goalless in their winless run and let in twenty-three times at an average of around four per fixture.

The visitors predictably dominated possession as Liechtenstein lay in a compact shape and got bodies behind the ball.

Their opponent's target saw little action until the forward's high press forced an error and James saw his shot from the penalty area pushed aside by Büchel.

A similar move crafted an opportunity, Jordan locating his teammate now with a accurate pass over the top.

The attacker's excellent touch beat Büchel but the attacker failed to finish from a narrow position.

The Welsh team felt they scored the opener after the opening period when Jordan James directed a high Sorba Thomas corner back into a crowded six-yard box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was harassed by Lawlor and Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Welsh joy were halted when the referee was directed to the VAR screen and ruled that a player of the Wales central defenders was in an offside from Jordan's initial touch.

The visitors raised the tempo after the interval and Sorba Thomas delivered a centering pass to the far post which the winger rattled against the frame of the goal.

Neco Williams then headed wide from inside the six-yard box as it started to seem like a difficult match for the Welsh side.

However, with the match having entered its second half, Neco Williams executed a clever pass for his teammate to break behind the opposition backline.

Daniel James cut out Büchel with a excellent pass across the face of goal, and his namesake Jordan had the easy job of easing Welsh anxiety.