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The Welsh side earned a tight 1-0 victory over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to sustain their chances of World Cup progress.

Wales' James notched his first goal for the national team from close range after Liechtenstein’s mix of full-time players, amateurs and students had resisted for the majority of the match. The scorer wheeled away in delight with his clear emotion echoed by the large contingent of Welsh fans occupying most sections of the stadium in Vaduz.

Shortly after, however, Jordan James was booked and a further yellow for Ethan Ampadu means both midfielders are suspended for Tuesday’s crucial match with North Macedonia through accumulated bookings.

The Wales' ground contest is a game the Welsh team need to win to move above their rivals and guarantee a better seeding in the final round in next spring.

The Wales manager had an different view from the stands, the Wales manager serving a touchline ban after picking up a additional booking in the qualifiers earlier.

Bellamy’s deputy Cremers assumed duties in the dugout and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were at risk of suspension from missing the concluding match. Two of them were booked in moments that could really hurt their team.

Liechtenstein, situated among the lowest-ranked in global rankings, had been goalless in their previous six losses and conceded 23 times at an rate of around four per fixture.

The visitors as expected controlled the ball as their hosts employed a low defensive block and defended in numbers.

Liechtenstein's net saw little action until Broadhead high press forced an error and Jordan James saw his effort from the 18-yard line pushed aside by Benjamin Büchel.

The same combination created another chance, James locating Broadhead this time with a precise delivery behind the defence.

The attacker's excellent first touch evaded Büchel but the attacker could not convert from a narrow position.

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

Büchel was flustered by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his feeble attempt reached Broadhead who scored decisively. But Welsh elation were cut short when the match official was sent to the video review system and ruled that one or more of the Wales central defenders was in an illegal position from James’s initial touch.

Wales stepped up a gear after the break and Sorba Thomas sent in a cross to the far post which the winger hit the crossbar.

Neco Williams then headed wide from inside the goal area as it began to look like one of those nights for Wales.

Yet, with the contest having entered its second half, Neco Williams executed a clever assist for Daniel James to run past the Liechtenstein defenders.

Daniel James cut out the goalkeeper with a superb ball across the face of goal, and his namesake Jordan James had the simple task of easing Welsh tension.