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Wales secured a tight 1-0 win against international minnows Liechtenstein to sustain their hopes of World Cup finals qualification.

Jordan James scored his maiden international strike for the national team from close range after the home side's mix of full-time players, office workers and students had resisted for the majority of the match. James wheeled away in joy with his obvious relief mirrored by the three thousand Wales fans filling three sides of the venue in Vaduz.

Shortly after, however, Jordan James was cautioned and a further yellow for his midfield partner resulted in both midfielders are unavailable for Tuesday’s crucial match with North Macedonia through disciplinary issues.

The home venue fixture is a clash Wales have to secure victory in to move above North Macedonia and obtain a improved seeding in the final round in March.

Craig Bellamy had an unusual perspective from the stands, the Wales manager undertaking a touchline ban after being shown a additional booking in the qualifiers last month.

The manager's deputy Cremers took his place in the dugout and several key players – Jordan James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were a booking away from missing the last group game. Two of them came unstuck in incidents that might hamper their team.

Their opponents, placed near the bottom in international football, had not scored in their winless run and allowed 23 times at an average of nearly four per fixture.

Wales as expected controlled the ball as their hosts employed a low defensive block and got bodies behind the ball.

The home goal was rarely tested until the forward's pressing won possession and James saw his attempt from the penalty area parried by Büchel.

A similar move crafted an opportunity, Jordan locating his teammate now with a well-weighted ball into space.

The attacker's superb first touch beat the keeper but the attacker was unable to score from a difficult angle.

Wales thought they had taken the lead after 26 minutes when Jordan James nodded a high Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a crowded penalty box.

Büchel was under pressure by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his poor clearance landed with Broadhead who finished powerfully. But Wales' celebrations were halted when the referee was directed to the video review system and ruled that one or more of the Wales centre-halves was in an illegal position from James’s header.

The visitors increased the pressure after the interval and Thomas sent in a centering pass to the far post which Daniel James struck the frame of the goal.

Williams then directed his header off target from inside the goal area as it began to look like one of those nights for Wales.

But, with the game having reached its 61st minute, Neco Williams delivered a shrewd pass for Daniel James to get in behind the opposition backline.

James bypassed Büchel with a delightful pass into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan James had the straightforward opportunity of easing Welsh tension.