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Wales earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over international minnows Liechtenstein to maintain their chances of World Cup qualifying.

Wales' James scored his maiden international strike for Wales from close range after the home side's assorted collection of professionals, amateurs and students had defended for the majority of the match. The scorer wheeled away in joy with his visible excitement shared by the three thousand Wales followers filling three sides of the stadium in the capital.

Soon afterwards, however, James was shown a yellow card and a further yellow for his midfield partner ensured the pair are unavailable for the upcoming crunch tie with their next opponents through accumulated bookings.

That Cardiff City Stadium contest is a game Wales must win to overtake their rivals and secure a more favourable seeding in the playoffs in next spring.

Bellamy had an unusual view from the stands, the Wales manager undertaking a touchline ban after being shown a further caution in the qualifiers earlier.

The manager's assistant Cremers took his place in the coaching zone and several key players – James, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were a booking away from missing the concluding match. Two of them were booked in moments that could really hurt their team.

Their opponents, ranked among the lowest-ranked in world football, had failed to score in their previous six losses and allowed twenty-three times at an rate of almost four per fixture.

The visitors as expected dominated possession as Liechtenstein employed a compact shape and defended in numbers.

The home goal remained unthreatened until the forward's pressing forced an error and Jordan James saw his attempt from the penalty area pushed aside by Benjamin Büchel.

The same combination created another chance, Jordan locating his teammate now with a accurate delivery over the top.

The attacker's excellent first touch beat Büchel but the attacker was unable to score from a tight angle.

Wales thought they had taken the lead after 26 minutes when James directed a high Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a crowded six-yard box.

Büchel was under pressure by Lawlor and Rodon, and his weak punch reached Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Wales' celebrations were curtailed when the match official was instructed to the VAR screen and decided that one or more of the Welsh centre-halves was in an illegal position from Jordan's initial touch.

Wales increased the pressure after the interval and Thomas provided a cross to the opposite side which James rattled against the woodwork.

Neco Williams then missed with a header from within the six-yard box as it began to look like one of those nights for the Welsh side.

But, with the game having entered its 61st minute, Williams played a clever through ball for his teammate to get in behind the home defence.

James bypassed Büchel with a superb pass along the six-yard box, and his teammate Jordan James had the easy opportunity of ending Wales' tension.