Jordan James fires the Welsh team to crucial World Cup triumph over Liechtenstein.
The Welsh side claimed a hard-fought 1-0 success over less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to maintain their hopes of World Cup qualification.
The young midfielder scored his first international strike for the national team from close range after Liechtenstein’s mix of full-time players, office workers and students had defended for the majority of the match. The scorer ran off in delight with his clear emotion mirrored by the 3,000 Welsh fans packed into most sections of the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.
Soon afterwards, though, Jordan James was cautioned and another late caution for his midfield partner resulted in the two players are unavailable for Tuesday’s crunch tie with their next opponents due to suspension.
The Wales' ground fixture is a encounter the Welsh team have to secure victory in to overtake North Macedonia and secure a more favourable position in the playoffs in March.
Craig Bellamy had an different perspective from the dugout, the Wales manager undertaking a technical area prohibition after picking up a further caution in the tournament previously.
Bellamy’s assistant Cremers assumed duties in the technical area and several key players – James, Ethan Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were a booking away from missing the last group game. Two of them came unstuck in moments that might hamper their team.
Liechtenstein, situated among the lowest-ranked in global rankings, had not scored in their previous six losses and conceded 23 goals at an average of almost four per fixture.
Wales as expected had most of the play as their hosts employed a low defensive block and got bodies behind the ball.
The home goal remained unthreatened until the forward's high press won possession and Jordan James saw his attempt from the edge of the box saved by the goalkeeper.
The same combination created another chance, James finding his teammate now with a well-weighted delivery over the top.
Broadhead’s fine control beat the keeper but the attacker failed to finish from a tight angle.
The Welsh team thought they had scored the opener after 26 minutes when James headed a lofted Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a packed penalty box.
The Liechtenstein keeper was under pressure by Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Welsh celebrations were halted when the referee was directed to the video review system and determined that one or more of the Wales defenders was in an offside position from Jordan's header.
Wales stepped up a gear after the half-time and Thomas sent in a centering pass to the far post which the winger struck the woodwork.
Neco Williams then headed wide from inside the six-yard box as it started to seem like one of those nights for the Welsh side.
But, with the game having entered its 61st minute, Neco Williams executed a shrewd pass for Daniel James to get in behind the opposition backline.
Daniel James beat Büchel with a excellent pass into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan had the simple opportunity of relieving Wales' tension.
