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Wales secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over international minnows Liechtenstein to sustain their hopes of World Cup qualifying.

Wales' James notched his maiden goal for Wales from inside the box after Liechtenstein’s group of professionals, office workers and students had held out for more than 60 minutes. The scorer celebrated in elation with his clear emotion mirrored by the 3,000 Wales followers filling three sides of the stadium in Vaduz.

Soon afterwards, though, Jordan James was shown a yellow card and another booking for his midfield partner means the two players are ruled out for the upcoming crunch tie with North Macedonia through accumulated bookings.

The Cardiff City Stadium fixture is a game Wales need to win to overtake North Macedonia and obtain a more favourable seeding in the qualifying playoffs in March.

The Wales manager had an different perspective from the dugout, the Wales manager completing a technical area prohibition after receiving a second yellow card in the qualifiers last month.

Bellamy’s assistant Cremers took his place in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – Jordan James, Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were a booking away from missing the final qualifier. Both James and Ampadu received cautions in incidents that might hamper Wales.

Their opponents, situated among the lowest-ranked in international football, had not scored in their six qualifying defeats and allowed twenty-three goals at an average of around four per match.

The visitors predictably controlled the ball as their hosts lay in a deep defensive line and packed their defence.

Liechtenstein's net remained unthreatened until Broadhead chasing down won possession and James saw his effort from the 18-yard line parried by Benjamin Büchel.

A similar move worked the next opening, James locating his teammate now with a well-weighted ball behind the defence.

Broadhead’s excellent touch evaded the keeper but the attacker could not convert from a narrow position.

Wales believed they'd scored the opener after the opening period when Jordan James nodded a deep Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a congested goal area.

The Liechtenstein keeper was flustered by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Nathan Broadhead who scored decisively. But Welsh celebrations were halted when the match official was instructed to the VAR screen and ruled that one or more of the Wales central defenders was in an offside position from Jordan's header.

The visitors raised the tempo after the half-time and Thomas provided a cross to the far post which James struck the woodwork.

Williams then directed his header off target from within the penalty box as it appeared like one of those nights for Wales.

However, with the game having entered its 61st minute, Neco Williams executed a shrewd through ball for his teammate to break behind the home defence.

James bypassed Büchel with a superb ball along the six-yard box, and his teammate Jordan James had the straightforward task of relieving Wales' anxiety.