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Wales earned a narrow 1-0 success over underdogs Liechtenstein to keep alive their chances of World Cup progress.

Jordan James notched his maiden international strike for Wales from inside the box after the home side's assorted collection of full-time players, amateurs and students had resisted for more than 60 minutes. James celebrated in joy with his visible excitement mirrored by the 3,000 Welsh followers filling most sections of the stadium in the capital.

Shortly after, however, Jordan James was cautioned and a further yellow for his midfield partner ensured both midfielders are ruled out for the upcoming crucial match with North Macedonia through suspension.

That Wales' ground match is a game Wales have to secure victory in to leapfrog their rivals and secure a better position in the final round in next spring.

Craig Bellamy had an unfamiliar perspective from the sidelines, Bellamy completing a sideline suspension after receiving a second yellow card in the qualifiers earlier.

Bellamy’s number two his assistant stood in in the dugout and several key players – Jordan James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were a booking away from being absent for the concluding match. Both James and Ampadu came unstuck in situations that might hamper Wales.

The home side, placed near the bottom in world football, had been goalless in their six qualifying defeats and conceded twenty-three goals at an average of almost four per match.

Wales predictably controlled the ball as Liechtenstein lay in a compact shape and got bodies behind the ball.

The home goal saw little action until Nathan Broadhead chasing down forced an error and James saw his shot from the edge of the box parried by Büchel.

That pairing worked the next opening, James picking out Broadhead on this occasion with a precise ball into space.

Broadhead’s fine touch evaded the keeper but the forward could not convert from a difficult angle.

The Welsh team thought they had broken the deadlock after the opening period when James directed a deep Thomas set-piece back into a congested goal area.

Büchel was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his feeble attempt reached Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' elation were halted when the referee was instructed to the VAR screen and decided that at least one of the Welsh central defenders was in an offside position from James’s header.

The visitors increased the pressure after the break and Thomas sent in a centering pass to the opposite side which James hit the frame of the goal.

Williams then missed with a header from inside the six-yard box as it appeared like a frustrating evening for the Welsh side.

Yet, with the contest having entered its second half, Neco Williams played a clever assist for Daniel James to get in behind the Liechtenstein defenders.

Daniel James bypassed the goalkeeper with a excellent pass along the six-yard box, and his namesake Jordan James had the easy job of ending Welsh nerves.