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The Welsh side earned a tight 1-0 success against less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to keep alive their hopes of World Cup progress.

The young midfielder claimed his maiden international strike for the national team from near the goal after Liechtenstein’s group of full-time players, amateurs and part-timers had resisted for more than 60 minutes. The scorer celebrated in elation with his clear emotion shared by the three thousand Wales supporters packed into multiple stands of the venue in Vaduz.

Soon afterwards, however, James was shown a yellow card and another booking for Ethan Ampadu ensured both midfielders are ruled out for Tuesday’s crunch tie with North Macedonia due to disciplinary issues.

The Cardiff City Stadium contest is a game the Welsh team need to win to leapfrog North Macedonia and guarantee a more favourable position in the final round in next spring.

The Wales manager had an unfamiliar vantage point from the sidelines, the head coach completing a sideline suspension after being shown a further caution in the tournament previously.

Bellamy’s assistant Cremers took his place in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – Jordan James, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were one caution from from being absent for the final qualifier. Two of them received cautions in moments that might hamper their team.

Liechtenstein, placed among the lowest-ranked in international football, had been goalless in their previous six losses and conceded 23 times at an average of around four per game.

The visitors unsurprisingly dominated possession as their hosts adopted a low defensive block and defended in numbers.

The home goal remained unthreatened until the forward's chasing down won possession and Jordan James saw his shot from the 18-yard line pushed aside by the goalkeeper.

That pairing worked the next opening, Jordan locating his teammate on this occasion with a precise pass into space.

Broadhead’s fine touch evaded the keeper but the attacker failed to finish from a tight angle.

Wales thought they had taken the lead after the first half when James nodded a deep Sorba Thomas corner back into a congested six-yard box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was flustered by Lawlor and Rodon, and his feeble attempt reached Nathan Broadhead who finished powerfully. But Welsh elation were cut short when the referee was sent to the VAR screen and decided that a player of the Wales defenders was in an offside from James’s header.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the interval and Sorba Thomas provided a cross to the back post which Daniel James hit the woodwork.

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

But, with the game having reached its 61st minute, Williams executed a clever pass for Daniel James to run past the opposition backline.

James cut out the goalkeeper with a superb ball across the face of goal, and his namesake Jordan had the simple job of relieving Wales' anxiety.