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The Welsh side claimed a tight 1-0 success over underdogs Liechtenstein to maintain their hopes of World Cup finals progress.

Wales' James scored his maiden goal for the national team from close range after Liechtenstein’s group of full-time players, amateurs and part-timers had held out for more than 60 minutes. The scorer celebrated in delight with his clear emotion shared by the three thousand Welsh fans packed into three sides of the venue in the capital.

Soon afterwards, however, Jordan James was shown a yellow card and a further late caution for Ethan Ampadu resulted in both midfielders are ruled out for the upcoming crucial match with North Macedonia due to disciplinary issues.

The home venue match is a encounter the Welsh team must win to leapfrog their rivals and guarantee a more favourable seeding in the qualifying playoffs in March.

Bellamy had an unusual view from the dugout, Bellamy completing a technical area prohibition after being shown a second yellow card in the qualifiers last month.

Bellamy’s assistant Piet Cremers stood in in the dugout and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ethan Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were one caution from from being absent for the final qualifier. Two of them received cautions in incidents that may damage their team.

Their opponents, placed near the bottom in global rankings, had not scored in their winless run and conceded 23 times at an average of nearly four per game.

The visitors as expected dominated possession as Liechtenstein adopted a deep defensive line and got bodies behind the ball.

The home goal saw little action until Nathan Broadhead pressing won possession and Jordan James saw his effort from the 18-yard line saved by Benjamin Büchel.

The same combination crafted an opportunity, James picking out Broadhead this time with a well-weighted delivery into space.

The attacker's superb control beat the keeper but the attacker could not convert from a difficult angle.

Wales believed they'd taken the lead after the opening period when James directed a high Thomas set-piece back into a packed six-yard box.

Büchel was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his feeble attempt fell to Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' joy were curtailed when the match official was instructed to the video review system and determined that at least one of the Welsh centre-halves was in an offside position from Jordan's header.

Wales raised the tempo after the break and Thomas sent in a cross to the far post which Daniel James rattled against the frame of the goal.

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 final half-hour, Williams delivered a clever assist for Daniel James to run past the Liechtenstein defenders.

Daniel James cut out the goalkeeper with a superb pass along the six-yard box, and his teammate Jordan James had the straightforward opportunity of easing Welsh anxiety.