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The Welsh side claimed a hard-fought 1-0 success against underdogs Liechtenstein to maintain their hopes of World Cup finals progress.

Jordan James notched his maiden goal for Wales from inside the box after the home side's group of professionals, office workers and part-timers had held out for more than 60 minutes. James wheeled away in delight with his clear emotion mirrored by the three thousand Wales supporters packed into three sides of the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.

Shortly after, though, Jordan James was shown a yellow card and a further booking for Ethan Ampadu means the two players are suspended for the upcoming crucial match with North Macedonia due to suspension.

The home venue match is a clash the Welsh team have to secure victory in to overtake their rivals and secure a more favourable draw in the qualifying playoffs in March.

Bellamy had an unfamiliar perspective from the sidelines, the head coach completing a technical area prohibition after being shown a further caution in the tournament last month.

Bellamy’s assistant Piet Cremers stood in in the technical area and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were a booking away from sitting out the last group game. Both James and Ampadu were booked in incidents that might hamper their team.

Liechtenstein, situated 206 out of 210 teams in global rankings, had been goalless in their six qualifying defeats and conceded 23 times at an rate of nearly four per game.

Wales as expected had most of the play as their hosts employed a compact shape and got bodies behind the ball.

The home goal was rarely tested until Nathan Broadhead high press caused a mistake and Jordan James saw his effort from the penalty area pushed aside by Büchel.

The same combination worked the next opening, James picking out Broadhead on this occasion with a precise ball behind the defence.

The attacker's superb first touch took him past Büchel but the Wrexham striker could not convert from a narrow position.

Wales felt they scored the opener after 26 minutes when James nodded a high Thomas set-piece back into a congested goal area.

Büchel was harassed by Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Broadhead who finished powerfully. But Wales' joy were halted when the official was instructed to the video review system and determined that at least one of the Welsh centre-halves was in an offside position from James’s header.

Wales stepped up a gear after the interval and Sorba Thomas sent in a centering pass to the far post which Daniel James struck the frame of the goal.

Neco Williams then headed wide from inside the penalty box as it began to look like a difficult match for the Welsh side.

But, with the game having entered its final half-hour, Williams executed a intelligent assist for Daniel James to run past the Liechtenstein defenders.

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