🔗 Share this article

Wales claimed a hard-fought 1-0 success against less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to keep alive their aspirations of World Cup finals qualifying.

Wales' James notched his first international strike for Wales from close range after the home side's mix of full-time players, amateurs and students had defended for the majority of the match. The scorer wheeled away in delight with his clear emotion shared by the large contingent of Welsh fans packed into multiple stands of the venue in Vaduz.

Shortly after, however, Jordan James was shown a yellow card and a further yellow for Ethan Ampadu means the pair are suspended for Tuesday’s crucial match with their next opponents through disciplinary issues.

The home venue match is a game the Welsh team have to secure victory in to overtake their rivals and obtain a improved position in the qualifying playoffs in next spring.

Craig Bellamy had an unfamiliar vantage point from the sidelines, the Wales manager completing a technical area prohibition after receiving a additional booking in the tournament last month.

The manager's number two Piet Cremers stood in in the dugout and four of Wales’s starters – Jordan James, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were one caution from from sitting out the last group game. Two of them were booked in moments that could really hurt Wales.

Their opponents, ranked near the bottom in global rankings, had been goalless in their six qualifying defeats and let in twenty-three times at an average of almost four per game.

The visitors as expected controlled the ball as their hosts lay in a compact shape and defended in numbers.

Liechtenstein's net saw little action until the forward's pressing caused a mistake and Jordan James saw his effort from the edge of the box saved by the goalkeeper.

That pairing crafted an opportunity, Jordan locating his teammate on this occasion with a precise pass over the top.

The attacker's fine touch took him past Büchel but the Wrexham striker failed to finish from a difficult angle.

Wales thought they had scored the opener after the first half when James nodded a deep Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a congested penalty box.

Büchel was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his feeble attempt landed with Nathan Broadhead who scored decisively. But Wales' elation were halted when the official was sent to the pitchside monitor and decided that one or more of the Wales central defenders was in an illegal position from Jordan's initial touch.

Wales increased the pressure after the half-time and Thomas delivered a ball to the far post which the winger hit the crossbar.

Neco Williams then missed with a header from within the six-yard box as it started to seem like a frustrating evening for the Welsh side.

However, with the game having entered its second half, Neco Williams played a clever pass for his teammate to get in behind the Liechtenstein defenders.

James beat the goalkeeper with a excellent cross along the six-yard box, and his teammate Jordan James had the easy job of relieving Welsh anxiety.