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The Welsh side earned a narrow 1-0 victory over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to sustain their hopes of World Cup qualifying.

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 resisted for the majority of the match. The scorer wheeled away in joy with his clear emotion echoed by the 3,000 Wales fans occupying most sections of the Rheinpark Stadion in the capital.

Soon afterwards, however, Jordan James was shown a yellow card and another yellow for his midfield partner resulted in the pair are ruled out for the upcoming decisive game with their next opponents through disciplinary issues.

That home venue contest is a clash Wales need to win to leapfrog their rivals and obtain a more favourable seeding in the qualifying playoffs in March.

The Wales manager had an different perspective from the stands, the head coach undertaking a technical area prohibition after receiving a additional booking in the qualifiers last month.

The manager's assistant Piet Cremers assumed duties in the coaching zone and four of Wales’s starters – Jordan James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were one caution from from missing the final qualifier. Two of them were booked in moments that could really hurt Wales.

Liechtenstein, placed near the bottom in global rankings, had been goalless in their winless run and let in twenty-three times at an average of nearly four per game.

The visitors as expected had most of the play as their hosts adopted a deep defensive line and got bodies behind the ball.

Liechtenstein's net was rarely tested until the forward's high press caused a mistake and James saw his shot from the edge of the box parried by Büchel.

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

The attacker's fine touch beat Büchel but the Wrexham striker was unable to score from a narrow position.

Wales felt they broken the deadlock after 26 minutes when James directed a deep Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a packed six-yard box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his poor clearance reached Broadhead who scored decisively. But Welsh elation were cut short when the match official was sent to the pitchside monitor and ruled that at least one of the Welsh central defenders was in an offside position from Jordan's initial touch.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the interval and Thomas sent in a ball to the back post which Daniel James hit the woodwork.

Williams then headed wide from within the penalty box as it appeared like a difficult match for the Welsh side.

However, with the match having entered its final half-hour, Williams executed a clever through ball for his teammate to break behind the home defence.

James cut out the goalkeeper with a delightful cross into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan had the straightforward task of ending Wales' tension.