🔗 Share this article The young midfielder James scores Wales to vital World Cup qualifying win against the Liechtenstein national team. The Welsh side secured a narrow 1-0 success over international minnows Liechtenstein to maintain their chances of World Cup progress. The young midfielder claimed his maiden international strike for the national team from close range after the home side's mix of full-time players, office workers and students had resisted for more than 60 minutes. The scorer celebrated in joy with his obvious relief mirrored by the three thousand Wales followers packed into three sides of the venue in Vaduz. Moments later, though, James was shown a yellow card and another yellow for Ethan Ampadu means both midfielders are unavailable for the upcoming crucial match with North Macedonia due to suspension. That Wales' ground contest is a game the Welsh team need to win to leapfrog North Macedonia and guarantee a more favourable position in the playoffs in March. Bellamy had an unusual view from the dugout, Bellamy completing a sideline suspension after receiving a second yellow card in the qualifiers previously. The manager's number two Cremers assumed duties in the dugout and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were a booking away from being absent for the final qualifier. Both James and Ampadu came unstuck in situations that may damage Wales. The home side, situated 206 out of 210 teams in world football, had not scored in their winless run and conceded twenty-three goals at an average of around four per fixture. Wales unsurprisingly had most of the play as Liechtenstein lay in a compact shape and defended in numbers. Liechtenstein's net remained unthreatened until the forward's chasing down won possession and James saw his effort from the penalty area parried by Benjamin Büchel. A similar move worked the next opening, Jordan finding Broadhead now with a precise delivery into space. The attacker's excellent touch beat Büchel but the Wrexham striker failed to finish from a narrow position. Wales believed they'd taken the lead after the opening period when James nodded a high Sorba Thomas corner back into a packed penalty box. The Liechtenstein keeper was harassed by Lawlor and Rodon, and his weak punch landed with Broadhead who finished powerfully. But Welsh celebrations were cut short when the official was sent to the video review system and decided that a player of the Welsh central defenders was in an offside from James’s initial touch. Wales stepped up a gear after the interval and Thomas provided a ball to the opposite side which James rattled against the frame of the goal. Neco Williams then directed his header off target from within the penalty box as it appeared like a frustrating evening for Wales. Yet, with the game having reached its final half-hour, Williams delivered a shrewd pass for his teammate to get in behind the home defence. James bypassed the goalkeeper with a superb ball into the danger area, and his namesake Jordan had the easy job of relieving Wales' tension.