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Wales earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over international minnows Liechtenstein to maintain their hopes of World Cup finals progress.

Wales' James notched his first international strike for Wales from inside the box after Liechtenstein’s group of professionals, office workers and students had defended for the majority of the match. The scorer wheeled away in delight with his obvious relief shared by the large contingent of Wales fans occupying three sides of the venue in the capital.

Soon afterwards, however, James was shown a yellow card and a further yellow for his midfield partner ensured the two players are ruled out for Tuesday’s crunch tie with their next opponents through suspension.

That Cardiff City Stadium contest is a game Wales must win to move above North Macedonia and guarantee a better draw in the playoffs in March.

Craig Bellamy had an different vantage point from the dugout, the Wales manager undertaking a sideline suspension after being shown a second yellow card in the tournament previously.

The manager's deputy his assistant assumed duties in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – Jordan James, Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were at risk of suspension from sitting out the concluding match. Two of them came unstuck in incidents that might hamper their team.

Liechtenstein, situated near the bottom in international football, had not scored in their previous six losses and allowed 23 times at an average of almost four per match.

The visitors predictably controlled the ball as Liechtenstein lay in a compact shape and defended in numbers.

Their opponent's target remained unthreatened until Nathan Broadhead pressing caused a mistake and Jordan James saw his attempt from the penalty area pushed aside by Büchel.

That pairing crafted an opportunity, James picking out Broadhead this time with a accurate delivery behind the defence.

Broadhead’s excellent control beat the keeper but the Wrexham striker failed to finish from a tight angle.

Wales felt they broken the deadlock after 26 minutes when Jordan James headed a lofted Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a congested penalty box.

Büchel was flustered by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his feeble attempt reached Broadhead who finished powerfully. But Welsh celebrations were halted when the match official was sent to the video review system and decided that a player of the Wales central defenders was in an illegal position from Jordan's initial touch.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the interval and Sorba Thomas sent in a centering pass to the opposite side which Daniel James rattled against the woodwork.

Neco Williams then directed his header off target from within the six-yard box as it began to look like a frustrating evening for the Welsh side.

However, with the match having ticked into its final half-hour, Williams delivered a clever through ball for Daniel James to run past the opposition backline.

James cut out Büchel with a excellent cross into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan had the easy opportunity of ending Welsh nerves.