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Wales earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to keep alive their hopes of World Cup finals progress.

The young midfielder scored his debut goal for the national team from near the goal after Liechtenstein’s mix of full-time players, office workers and students had resisted for over an hour. James ran off in joy with his obvious relief mirrored by the three thousand Wales fans occupying most sections of the stadium in the capital.

Shortly after, though, James was cautioned and another booking for his midfield partner ensured the pair are unavailable for Tuesday’s crucial match with their next opponents through suspension.

That Cardiff City Stadium fixture is a encounter Wales must win to move above North Macedonia and guarantee a more favourable draw in the qualifying playoffs in next spring.

Bellamy had an different vantage point from the stands, the Wales manager completing a touchline ban after receiving a second yellow card in the competition last month.

Bellamy’s deputy his assistant stood in in the dugout and several key players – Jordan James, Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were a booking away from being absent for the last group game. Two of them came unstuck in situations that might hamper Wales.

The home side, ranked 206 out of 210 teams in international football, had not scored in their six qualifying defeats and conceded twenty-three times at an average of around four per fixture.

The visitors predictably had most of the play as their hosts adopted a deep defensive line and got bodies behind the ball.

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

The same combination created another chance, Jordan locating Broadhead this time with a accurate pass into space.

Broadhead’s superb control beat the keeper but the attacker failed to finish from a narrow position.

Wales felt they scored the opener after 26 minutes when James nodded a lofted Thomas corner back into a packed penalty box.

Büchel was flustered by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his weak punch landed with Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' celebrations were curtailed when the match official was instructed to the video review system and ruled that a player of the Wales defenders was in an offside position from Jordan's initial touch.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the break and Sorba Thomas provided a centering pass to the opposite side which the winger rattled against the frame of the goal.

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 match having reached its 61st minute, Williams executed a intelligent through ball for his teammate to get in behind the opposition backline.

James bypassed the goalkeeper with a delightful pass along the six-yard box, and his namesake Jordan James had the simple job of relieving Welsh anxiety.