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Wales secured a hard-fought 1-0 success over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to keep alive their chances of World Cup finals progress.

The young midfielder notched his debut international strike for Wales from close range after the home side's assorted collection of professionals, office workers and students had resisted for over an hour. The scorer ran off in delight with his clear emotion mirrored by the 3,000 Wales supporters occupying three sides of the Rheinpark Stadion in the capital.

Moments later, though, Jordan James was booked and a further booking for his midfield partner ensured the pair are unavailable for Tuesday’s decisive game with North Macedonia through suspension.

The Cardiff City Stadium contest is a encounter Wales have to secure victory in to move above their rivals and obtain a improved draw in the final round in March.

The Wales manager had an unusual vantage point from the sidelines, the head coach completing a sideline suspension after picking up a additional booking in the tournament previously.

Bellamy’s assistant Piet Cremers assumed duties in the technical area and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were at risk of suspension from being absent for the concluding match. Both James and Ampadu received cautions in situations that may damage Wales.

The home side, ranked 206 out of 210 teams in global rankings, had been goalless in their previous six losses and allowed twenty-three goals at an rate of nearly four per fixture.

Wales as expected had most of the play as their hosts adopted a compact shape and got bodies behind the ball.

Liechtenstein's net saw little action until Nathan Broadhead pressing won possession and James saw his shot from the penalty area pushed aside by Benjamin Büchel.

A similar move crafted an opportunity, Jordan finding his teammate on this occasion with a well-weighted delivery behind the defence.

Broadhead’s excellent first touch took him past Büchel but the Wrexham striker failed to finish from a tight angle.

The Welsh team believed they'd taken the lead after the opening period when Jordan James headed a lofted Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a crowded goal area.

The Liechtenstein keeper was flustered by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his poor clearance fell to Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' joy were cut short when the referee was instructed to the pitchside monitor and decided that a player of the Wales defenders was in an illegal position from Jordan's initial touch.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the half-time and Thomas provided a ball to the back post which the winger rattled against the woodwork.

Williams then missed with a header from inside the penalty box as it appeared like a frustrating evening for Wales.

But, with the match having ticked into its second half, Williams executed a clever through ball for his teammate to break behind the Liechtenstein defenders.

James beat the goalkeeper with a delightful cross into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan had the easy job of ending Welsh anxiety.