Wales' Jordan James fires the Welsh team to important World Cup win against the Liechtenstein national team.
Wales claimed a narrow 1-0 victory against underdogs Liechtenstein to sustain their chances of World Cup qualifying.
The young midfielder notched his maiden international strike for the national team from near the goal after the home side's mix of full-time players, office workers and part-timers had defended for over an hour. James celebrated in joy with his visible excitement shared by the three thousand Wales followers filling most sections of the venue in Vaduz.
Moments later, however, Jordan James was shown a yellow card and a further booking for Ethan Ampadu means the two players are unavailable for Tuesday’s crucial match with their next opponents due to accumulated bookings.
That home venue fixture is a encounter the Welsh team need to win to overtake North Macedonia and guarantee a improved seeding in the playoffs in March.
Bellamy had an different perspective from the dugout, Bellamy completing a touchline ban after picking up a additional booking in the tournament earlier.
Bellamy’s number two Cremers took his place in the dugout and four of Wales’s starters – James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were at risk of suspension from missing the final qualifier. Two of them were booked in moments that might hamper Wales.
The home side, situated 206 out of 210 teams in international football, had failed to score in their previous six losses and conceded 23 times at an rate of almost four per fixture.
The visitors as expected dominated possession as their hosts employed a deep defensive line and got bodies behind the ball.
Liechtenstein's net was rarely tested until Nathan Broadhead chasing down forced an error and James saw his shot from the edge of the box pushed aside by Benjamin BĂĽchel.
That pairing crafted an opportunity, James finding his teammate this time with a well-weighted pass over the top.
Broadhead’s fine touch took him past the keeper but the Wrexham striker failed to finish from a narrow position.
The Welsh team thought they had broken the deadlock after the first half when James directed a high Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a packed penalty box.
The Liechtenstein keeper was flustered by Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his poor clearance landed with Nathan Broadhead who scored decisively. But Wales' celebrations were curtailed when the match official was instructed to the pitchside monitor and decided that at least one of the Welsh centre-halves was in an offside position from Jordan's initial touch.
The visitors raised the tempo after the break and Sorba Thomas sent in a ball to the opposite side which Daniel James rattled against the frame of the goal.
Neco Williams then directed his header off target from inside the six-yard box as it started to seem like a difficult match for the Welsh side.
Yet, with the contest having reached its 61st minute, Williams delivered a intelligent assist for Daniel James to break behind the opposition backline.
James cut out BĂĽchel with a delightful pass along the six-yard box, and his namesake Jordan James had the easy task of easing Wales' tension.