🔗 Share this article

The Welsh side earned a tight 1-0 success against international minnows Liechtenstein to maintain their hopes of World Cup qualifying.

The young midfielder scored his maiden goal for the national team from near the goal after Liechtenstein’s group of full-time players, office workers and students had held out for more than 60 minutes. James ran off in delight with his clear emotion mirrored by the large contingent of Wales followers occupying multiple stands of the stadium in the capital.

Shortly after, though, James was booked and another booking for Ethan Ampadu resulted in the pair are unavailable for Tuesday’s crunch tie with North Macedonia due to suspension.

That Wales' ground match is a clash Wales have to secure victory in to move above their rivals and obtain a improved seeding in the final round in next spring.

The Wales manager had an unfamiliar vantage point from the stands, the head coach serving a technical area prohibition after being shown a second yellow card in the competition last month.

The manager's number two Piet Cremers took his place in the technical area and several key players – Jordan James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were a booking away from being absent for the last group game. Both James and Ampadu came unstuck in situations that might hamper their team.

The home side, placed 206 out of 210 teams in global rankings, had failed to score in their previous six losses and conceded 23 goals at an average of nearly four per fixture.

Wales unsurprisingly controlled the ball as Liechtenstein lay in a low defensive block and got bodies behind the ball.

Their opponent's target remained unthreatened until the forward's high press won possession and Jordan James saw his shot from the 18-yard line saved by the goalkeeper.

That pairing worked the next opening, James picking out Broadhead now with a precise pass behind the defence.

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

The Welsh team thought they had broken the deadlock after the first half when Jordan James nodded a high Thomas corner back into a packed penalty box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was flustered by Lawlor and Rodon, and his feeble attempt landed with Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' celebrations were curtailed when the official was sent to the VAR screen and ruled that one or more of the Welsh centre-halves was in an illegal position from James’s header.

Wales increased the pressure after the break and Thomas delivered a centering pass to the far post which James rattled against the frame of the goal.

Neco Williams then missed with a header from within the penalty box as it appeared like a difficult match for Wales.

But, with the game having ticked into its second half, Williams played a shrewd assist for Daniel James to run past the Liechtenstein defenders.

Daniel James beat Büchel with a excellent pass across the face of goal, and his teammate Jordan had the easy opportunity of easing Wales' nerves.