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Wales secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over international minnows Liechtenstein to maintain their hopes of World Cup qualifying.

The young midfielder scored his first goal for Wales from near the goal after the home side's mix of full-time players, office workers and students had held out for over an hour. The scorer celebrated in delight with his clear emotion shared by the 3,000 Wales fans filling multiple stands of the stadium in the capital.

Shortly after, however, Jordan James was booked and another booking for Ethan Ampadu ensured both midfielders are suspended for the upcoming crunch tie with North Macedonia through disciplinary issues.

The home venue fixture is a clash the Welsh team must win to overtake North Macedonia and secure a improved draw in the qualifying playoffs in next spring.

Bellamy had an unusual vantage point from the dugout, the Wales manager serving a sideline suspension after being shown a additional booking in the qualifiers previously.

Bellamy’s assistant Piet Cremers took his place in the coaching zone and multiple first-teamers – James, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were one caution from from sitting out the last group game. Both James and Ampadu received cautions in moments that may damage their team.

The home side, situated 206 out of 210 teams in world football, had failed to score in their winless run and allowed twenty-three times at an rate of around four per match.

Wales as expected controlled the ball as Liechtenstein employed a deep defensive line and got bodies behind the ball.

Their opponent's target saw little action until Nathan Broadhead pressing caused a mistake and James saw his shot from the edge of the box parried by the goalkeeper.

A similar move created another chance, James finding his teammate now with a well-weighted delivery into space.

Broadhead’s superb control took him past Büchel but the attacker could not convert from a difficult angle.

The Welsh team believed they'd scored the opener after the first half when Jordan James directed a deep Sorba Thomas corner back into a crowded six-yard box.

The Liechtenstein keeper was harassed by Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his poor clearance landed with Broadhead who scored decisively. But Welsh joy were curtailed when the official was instructed to the VAR screen and decided that at least one of the Wales central defenders was in an offside from James’s initial touch.

The visitors raised the tempo after the break and Thomas provided a centering pass to the back post which James rattled against the crossbar.

Neco Williams then directed his header off target from within the six-yard box as it started to seem like a frustrating evening for the Welsh side.

However, with the match having entered its second half, Neco Williams executed a intelligent assist for Daniel James to break behind the Liechtenstein defenders.

James beat Büchel with a superb cross across the face of goal, and his teammate Jordan had the straightforward opportunity of relieving Wales' anxiety.