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Wales earned a tight 1-0 win against international minnows Liechtenstein to sustain their chances of World Cup finals qualification.

Wales' James claimed his maiden goal for the national team from inside the box after the home side's group of full-time players, amateurs and students had held out for over an hour. The scorer ran off in elation with his obvious relief mirrored by the 3,000 Wales supporters packed into three sides of the Rheinpark Stadion in the capital.

Soon afterwards, though, Jordan James was cautioned and another late caution for Ethan Ampadu ensured the two players are unavailable for Tuesday’s decisive game with North Macedonia through accumulated bookings.

The home venue fixture is a encounter the Welsh team must win to overtake their rivals and guarantee a improved position in the qualifying playoffs in March.

The Wales manager had an unfamiliar perspective from the dugout, the head coach serving a sideline suspension after picking up a further caution in the tournament last month.

The manager's deputy Piet Cremers stood in in the coaching zone and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ampadu, Rodon, Neco Williams – were at risk of suspension from being absent for the final qualifier. Two of them received cautions in moments that may damage their team.

Liechtenstein, ranked among the lowest-ranked in global rankings, had failed to score in their six qualifying defeats and let in 23 goals at an average of nearly four per game.

Wales as expected dominated possession as Liechtenstein employed a deep defensive line and defended in numbers.

The home goal remained unthreatened until the forward's high press won possession and James saw his attempt from the penalty area saved by the goalkeeper.

That pairing worked the next opening, Jordan finding his teammate on this occasion with a well-weighted ball behind the defence.

Broadhead’s superb first touch took him past the keeper but the attacker could not convert from a difficult angle.

Wales believed they'd scored the opener after the opening period when James nodded a lofted Sorba Thomas corner back into a packed penalty box.

Büchel was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his feeble attempt fell to Nathan Broadhead who finished powerfully. But Wales' joy were halted when the official was sent to the video review system and decided that one or more of the Wales defenders was in an offside from Jordan's header.

Wales stepped up a gear after the interval and Thomas provided a centering pass to the far post which the winger struck the crossbar.

Neco Williams then directed his header off target from inside the penalty box as it started to seem like a difficult match for Wales.

Yet, with the match having reached its final half-hour, Williams executed a shrewd assist for his teammate to get in behind the opposition backline.

James beat Büchel with a superb cross into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan had the straightforward opportunity of easing Wales' anxiety.