Jordan James scores the Welsh team to important World Cup qualifying win versus Liechtenstein.
The Welsh side claimed a tight 1-0 success against less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to maintain their aspirations of World Cup qualification.
The young midfielder claimed his maiden international strike for the national team from near the goal after Liechtenstein’s assorted collection of full-time players, amateurs and students had defended for over an hour. The scorer wheeled away in delight with his visible excitement shared by the large contingent of Welsh fans filling most sections of the stadium in the capital.
Moments later, yet, James was shown a yellow card and a further yellow for Ethan Ampadu resulted in both midfielders are unavailable for the upcoming crunch tie with North Macedonia due to suspension.
The Cardiff City Stadium match is a encounter Wales have to secure victory in to overtake North Macedonia and guarantee a more favourable position in the final round in next spring.
The Wales manager had an unusual perspective from the sidelines, the head coach undertaking a sideline suspension after being shown a second yellow card in the competition earlier.
Bellamy’s number two his assistant took his place in the coaching zone and multiple first-teamers – James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams – were one caution from from sitting out the last group game. A pair received cautions in moments that may damage Wales.
Their opponents, situated among the lowest-ranked in global rankings, had been goalless in their previous six losses and allowed twenty-three goals at an rate of almost four per match.
The visitors predictably had most of the play as their hosts adopted a compact shape and got bodies behind the ball.
Their opponent's target saw little action until the forward's high press forced an error and James saw his attempt from the 18-yard line pushed aside by Benjamin Büchel.
A similar move created another chance, Jordan finding his teammate on this occasion with a well-weighted ball into space.
The attacker's excellent first touch took him past Büchel but the Wrexham striker could not convert from a tight angle.
The Welsh team believed they'd scored the opener after the opening period when Jordan James directed a high Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a packed six-yard box.
The Liechtenstein keeper was harassed by Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his weak punch landed with Nathan Broadhead who scored decisively. But Wales' celebrations were halted when the referee was directed to the pitchside monitor and decided that a player of the Welsh central defenders was in an offside position from Jordan's initial touch.
Wales increased the pressure after the interval and Thomas provided a cross to the back post which the winger struck the crossbar.
Williams then headed wide from within the goal area as it started to seem like one of those nights for the Welsh side.
Yet, with the contest having reached its final half-hour, Williams executed a shrewd assist for his teammate to get in behind the opposition backline.
James bypassed Büchel with a excellent pass into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan James had the easy task of ending Welsh anxiety.
