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The Welsh side earned a tight 1-0 success against underdogs Liechtenstein to keep alive their chances of World Cup finals qualification.

Jordan James scored his debut international strike for Wales from near the goal after Liechtenstein’s assorted collection of professionals, amateurs and students had defended for more than 60 minutes. James ran off in joy with his clear emotion mirrored by the large contingent of Wales supporters packed into multiple stands of the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.

Shortly after, yet, James was booked and another yellow for his midfield partner resulted in the two players are unavailable for Tuesday’s crucial match with North Macedonia due to disciplinary issues.

The home venue contest is a clash the Welsh team need to win to leapfrog North Macedonia and guarantee a improved position in the qualifying playoffs in March.

The Wales manager had an different perspective from the stands, the head coach completing a sideline suspension after being shown a additional booking in the qualifiers last month.

The manager's deputy Piet Cremers assumed duties in the coaching zone and four of Wales’s starters – Jordan James, Ethan Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were a booking away from missing the final qualifier. Two of them were booked in moments that might hamper Wales.

The home side, situated near the bottom in international football, had not scored in their winless run and conceded twenty-three times at an rate of around four per game.

The visitors predictably dominated possession as their hosts adopted a low defensive block and got bodies behind the ball.

Their opponent's target remained unthreatened until Nathan Broadhead pressing caused a mistake and James saw his shot from the 18-yard line saved by Benjamin Büchel.

That pairing crafted an opportunity, James finding his teammate on this occasion with a well-weighted ball behind the defence.

Broadhead’s excellent touch evaded Büchel but the Wrexham striker failed to finish from a narrow position.

Wales felt they broken the deadlock after the first half when Jordan James headed a deep Sorba Thomas corner back into a crowded penalty box.

Büchel was flustered by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Welsh elation were curtailed when the match official was instructed to the VAR screen and ruled that at least one of the Welsh centre-halves was in an offside from James’s header.

Wales stepped up a gear after the interval and Thomas provided a centering pass to the opposite side which the winger hit the woodwork.

Neco Williams then directed his header off target from inside the six-yard box as it started to seem like a frustrating evening for Wales.

However, with the match having reached its 61st minute, Williams delivered a clever pass for his teammate to get in behind the Liechtenstein defenders.

Daniel James bypassed the goalkeeper with a delightful cross across the face of goal, and his namesake Jordan had the straightforward task of easing Wales' nerves.