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The Welsh side earned a tight 1-0 success over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to maintain their chances of World Cup finals qualification.

Jordan James claimed his debut international strike for the national team from inside the box after Liechtenstein’s mix of full-time players, amateurs and part-timers had resisted for more than 60 minutes. The scorer celebrated in joy with his obvious relief mirrored by the three thousand Wales supporters filling three sides of the stadium in Vaduz.

Shortly after, though, Jordan James was shown a yellow card and a further booking for his midfield partner means the two players are suspended for the upcoming crunch tie with their next opponents due to accumulated bookings.

That home venue match is a encounter the Welsh team must win to overtake their rivals and guarantee a more favourable seeding in the playoffs in next spring.

The Wales manager had an different perspective from the stands, the head coach completing a touchline ban after receiving a second yellow card in the competition earlier.

The manager's number two his assistant stood in in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – Jordan James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were a booking away from missing the last group game. Both James and Ampadu came unstuck in incidents that could really hurt Wales.

The home side, situated 206 out of 210 teams in global rankings, had failed to score in their six qualifying defeats and conceded 23 times at an average of nearly four per game.

Wales as expected dominated possession as their hosts adopted a deep defensive line and packed their defence.

Their opponent's target saw little action until Nathan Broadhead pressing caused a mistake and Jordan James saw his effort from the penalty area saved by Benjamin Büchel.

The same combination created another chance, Jordan picking out his teammate on this occasion with a well-weighted ball behind the defence.

Broadhead’s superb control beat Büchel but the attacker could not convert from a difficult angle.

The Welsh team felt they scored the opener after 26 minutes when Jordan James directed a high Thomas set-piece back into a congested penalty box.

Büchel was flustered by Lawlor and Rodon, and his poor clearance landed with Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Welsh joy were halted when the match official was sent to the pitchside monitor and decided that one or more of the Wales centre-halves was in an offside from Jordan's initial touch.

Wales raised the tempo after the break and Thomas delivered a cross to the opposite side which James hit the frame of the goal.

Neco Williams then missed with a header from inside the penalty box as it appeared like a frustrating evening for the Welsh side.

However, with the match having reached its 61st minute, Williams delivered a clever pass for Daniel James to break behind the home defence.

Daniel James cut out Büchel with a excellent cross along the six-yard box, and his namesake Jordan James had the straightforward job of easing Wales' anxiety.