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The Welsh side earned a narrow 1-0 success over international minnows Liechtenstein to keep alive their chances of World Cup finals qualification.

The young midfielder claimed his maiden international strike for the national team from close range after Liechtenstein’s assorted collection of professionals, office workers and part-timers had resisted for more than 60 minutes. James celebrated in elation with his visible excitement echoed by the 3,000 Welsh fans packed into three sides of the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.

Moments later, though, James was cautioned and another late caution for his midfield partner resulted in the two players are ruled out for Tuesday’s decisive game with their next opponents due to suspension.

The Cardiff City Stadium fixture is a game Wales have to secure victory in to leapfrog North Macedonia and obtain a more favourable seeding in the playoffs in March.

Craig Bellamy had an different view from the sidelines, the head coach completing a touchline ban after receiving a additional booking in the qualifiers last month.

The manager's assistant his assistant took his place in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – Jordan James, Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were at risk of suspension from sitting out the concluding match. Two of them received cautions in moments that could really hurt Wales.

Liechtenstein, situated near the bottom in global rankings, had been goalless in their previous six losses and allowed 23 times at an average of almost four per game.

The visitors predictably had most of the play as their hosts employed a deep defensive line and defended in numbers.

The home goal was rarely tested until Broadhead chasing down forced an error and James saw his attempt from the edge of the box parried by Büchel.

That pairing created another chance, Jordan finding Broadhead on this occasion with a precise ball behind the defence.

The attacker's fine touch beat Büchel but the attacker could not convert from a narrow position.

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

Büchel was harassed by Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his poor clearance landed with Nathan Broadhead who scored decisively. But Wales' joy were halted when the official was instructed to the VAR screen and ruled that a player of the Welsh central defenders was in an offside from Jordan's header.

The visitors increased the pressure after the half-time and Sorba Thomas provided a centering pass to the opposite side which Daniel James rattled against the woodwork.

Williams then missed with a header from inside the penalty box as it began to look like a difficult match for the Welsh side.

Yet, with the game having ticked into its second half, Williams executed a clever through ball for his teammate to get in behind the home defence.

Daniel James beat the goalkeeper with a excellent cross into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan James had the simple job of ending Welsh nerves.