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The Welsh side claimed a hard-fought 1-0 success over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to keep alive their aspirations of World Cup finals qualification.

The young midfielder claimed his maiden international strike for the national team from near the goal after Liechtenstein’s assorted collection of full-time players, office workers and students had held out for more than 60 minutes. The scorer ran off in elation with his clear emotion shared by the large contingent of Welsh fans filling most sections of the venue in the capital.

Shortly after, however, Jordan James was cautioned and a further booking for Ethan Ampadu ensured the two players are unavailable for Tuesday’s crunch tie with North Macedonia due to suspension.

That Cardiff City Stadium match is a clash Wales need to win to overtake North Macedonia and secure a more favourable seeding in the qualifying playoffs in next spring.

Craig Bellamy had an different view from the stands, the Wales manager undertaking a technical area prohibition after being shown a further caution in the tournament last month.

Bellamy’s deputy Cremers stood in in the dugout and four of Wales’s starters – Jordan James, Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were at risk of suspension from sitting out the final qualifier. Both James and Ampadu were booked in situations that may damage their team.

Liechtenstein, ranked near the bottom in international football, had failed to score in their previous six losses and let in 23 times at an rate of around four per fixture.

Wales unsurprisingly dominated possession as Liechtenstein lay in a deep defensive line and got bodies behind the ball.

The home goal remained unthreatened until the forward's pressing caused a mistake and Jordan James saw his attempt from the edge of the box pushed aside by the goalkeeper.

That pairing created another chance, Jordan picking out Broadhead on this occasion with a accurate pass behind the defence.

The attacker's fine touch evaded the keeper but the Wrexham striker could not convert from a tight angle.

Wales believed they'd broken the deadlock after 26 minutes when James headed a lofted Thomas corner back into a crowded six-yard box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his poor clearance fell to Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Welsh celebrations were halted when the match official was sent to the VAR screen and ruled that at least one of the Wales defenders was in an offside position from James’s header.

The visitors raised the tempo after the half-time and Thomas delivered a cross to the back post which the winger hit the crossbar.

Williams then headed wide from within the six-yard box as it started to seem like a frustrating evening for Wales.

However, with the game having ticked into its 61st minute, Neco Williams delivered a shrewd assist for his teammate to get in behind the home defence.

James bypassed the goalkeeper with a excellent ball along the six-yard box, and his namesake Jordan had the simple task of easing Welsh nerves.