🔗 Share this article

The Welsh side claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over underdogs Liechtenstein to sustain their chances of World Cup qualifying.

Wales' James claimed his maiden goal for the national team from close range after Liechtenstein’s group of full-time players, amateurs and part-timers had resisted for over an hour. The scorer ran off in joy with his visible excitement mirrored by the large contingent of Welsh supporters occupying three sides of the stadium in the capital.

Moments later, however, James was shown a yellow card and another yellow for his midfield partner resulted in the two players are suspended for the upcoming crunch tie with their next opponents through disciplinary issues.

The Wales' ground match is a clash the Welsh team must win to overtake North Macedonia and secure a better position in the qualifying playoffs in next spring.

Craig Bellamy had an different perspective from the dugout, the Wales manager serving a technical area prohibition after being shown a additional booking in the tournament earlier.

Bellamy’s assistant Piet Cremers took his place in the dugout and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were one caution from from being absent for the last group game. Both James and Ampadu received cautions in incidents that could really hurt Wales.

The home side, placed 206 out of 210 teams in world football, had failed to score in their previous six losses and conceded 23 goals at an rate of nearly four per game.

The visitors predictably had most of the play as Liechtenstein adopted a compact shape and packed their defence.

Liechtenstein's net was rarely tested until the forward's pressing caused a mistake and James saw his shot from the 18-yard line parried by the goalkeeper.

That pairing worked the next opening, Jordan picking out Broadhead on this occasion with a accurate ball behind the defence.

Broadhead’s fine control beat Büchel but the attacker was unable to score from a difficult angle.

Wales believed they'd broken the deadlock after the opening period when James headed a lofted Thomas corner back into a congested penalty box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was harassed by Lawlor and Rodon, and his poor clearance reached Nathan Broadhead who scored decisively. But Welsh joy were curtailed when the referee was sent to the pitchside monitor and ruled that at least one of the Welsh defenders was in an offside from James’s header.

Wales increased the pressure after the half-time and Sorba Thomas provided a cross to the back post which James hit the frame of the goal.

Neco Williams then missed with a header from within the six-yard box as it began to look like one of those nights for Wales.

However, with the game having entered its second half, Williams executed a intelligent assist for his teammate to get in behind the home defence.

James beat the goalkeeper with a delightful ball along the six-yard box, and his namesake Jordan James had the simple job of ending Wales' tension.