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The Welsh side earned a tight 1-0 victory over international minnows Liechtenstein to sustain their hopes of World Cup finals qualification.

Jordan James notched his first international strike for the national team from close range after the home side's mix of professionals, amateurs and students had resisted for over an hour. The scorer ran off in joy with his clear emotion shared by the large contingent of Welsh supporters occupying multiple stands of the stadium in the capital.

Shortly after, yet, James was shown a yellow card and another booking for Ethan Ampadu resulted in both midfielders are suspended for the upcoming crunch tie with North Macedonia due to disciplinary issues.

That Cardiff City Stadium match is a clash the Welsh team have to secure victory in to move above their rivals and obtain a better draw in the qualifying playoffs in next spring.

Craig Bellamy had an different perspective from the dugout, the Wales manager completing a touchline ban after being shown a additional booking in the competition earlier.

The manager's assistant Cremers stood in in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – Jordan James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were at risk of suspension from sitting out the last group game. A pair came unstuck in incidents that may damage their team.

The home side, ranked near the bottom in world football, had not scored in their previous six losses and let in 23 goals at an average of around four per game.

Wales as expected dominated possession as Liechtenstein employed a compact shape and got bodies behind the ball.

Their opponent's target was rarely tested until the forward's high press caused a mistake and Jordan James saw his effort from the edge of the box pushed aside by Benjamin Büchel.

A similar move worked the next opening, James picking out his teammate this time with a well-weighted pass over the top.

The attacker's superb first touch beat the keeper but the forward failed to finish from a narrow position.

Wales felt they scored the opener after the first half when James headed a deep Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a congested penalty box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was under pressure by Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his feeble attempt landed with Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' elation were cut short when the match official was instructed to the video review system and determined that at least one of the Welsh central defenders was in an illegal position from James’s header.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the interval and Sorba Thomas delivered a cross to the far post which Daniel James rattled against the woodwork.

Neco Williams then missed with a header from inside the goal area as it appeared like a difficult match for the Welsh side.

But, with the match having entered its 61st minute, Williams played a clever through ball for his teammate to break behind the home defence.

James beat Büchel with a excellent ball into the danger area, and his namesake Jordan had the simple task of easing Welsh nerves.