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Wales earned a narrow 1-0 success against international minnows Liechtenstein to keep alive their chances of World Cup qualifying.

Wales' James notched his maiden international strike for the national team from inside the box after Liechtenstein’s mix of professionals, office workers and part-timers had defended for the majority of the match. The scorer wheeled away in elation with his visible excitement shared by the large contingent of Welsh supporters occupying three sides of the Rheinpark Stadion in the capital.

Moments later, however, Jordan James was booked and a further yellow for his midfield partner ensured the two players are suspended for the upcoming crunch tie with North Macedonia due to accumulated bookings.

The Cardiff City Stadium contest is a game Wales have to secure victory in to overtake North Macedonia and guarantee a more favourable draw in the qualifying playoffs in March.

The Wales manager had an different perspective from the sidelines, the head coach undertaking a technical area prohibition after receiving a additional booking in the qualifiers last month.

The manager's assistant Cremers took his place in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – James, Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were one caution from from missing the final qualifier. Two of them received cautions in moments that might hamper Wales.

The home side, ranked near the bottom in international football, had failed to score in their six qualifying defeats and allowed twenty-three times at an rate of around four per fixture.

The visitors as expected controlled the ball as Liechtenstein employed a compact shape and defended in numbers.

The home goal remained unthreatened until Nathan Broadhead pressing won possession and James saw his effort from the penalty area parried by Büchel.

A similar move worked the next opening, James finding Broadhead now with a precise pass behind the defence.

Broadhead’s fine control took him past the keeper but the attacker was unable to score from a tight angle.

Wales felt they scored the opener after the opening period when James nodded a high Thomas set-piece back into a congested penalty box.

Büchel was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Broadhead who finished powerfully. But Welsh celebrations were halted when the official was instructed to the VAR screen and determined that a player of the Welsh centre-halves was in an offside from Jordan's header.

Wales stepped up a gear after the interval and Sorba Thomas provided a centering pass to the opposite side which Daniel James hit the crossbar.

Neco Williams then headed wide from within the goal area as it started to seem like a difficult match for Wales.

But, with the match having ticked into its 61st minute, Neco Williams executed a shrewd through ball for Daniel James to break behind the Liechtenstein defenders.

Daniel James bypassed the goalkeeper with a superb pass into the danger area, and his namesake Jordan James had the straightforward job of relieving Welsh anxiety.