Liechtenstein 0-1 Wales: Second place still alive thanks to Jordan James goal as North Macedonia await Craig Bellamy's side

[ad_1] Wales laboured to a 1-0 win over worldwide minnows Liechtenstein to maintain alive their hopes of World Cup qualification.

Jordan James claimed his first Wales purpose from shut vary after Liechtenstein's assorted assortment of full-time gamers, workplace employees and college students had held out for over an hour.

James wheeled away in delight together with his apparent aid shared by 3,000 Wales followers filling three sides of the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.

Moments later, nevertheless, James was booked and one other late warning for Ethan Ampadu sees each midfielders dominated out of Tuesday's crunch tie with North Macedonia via suspension.

That Cardiff Metropolis Stadium contest is a recreation Wales should win to overhaul North Macedonia and safe a extra beneficial draw within the play-offs in March.

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/768x432/skysports-thomas-james_7082897.jpg?20251115191307" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/384x216/skysports-thomas-james_7082897.jpg?20251115191307 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/768x432/skysports-thomas-james_7082897.jpg?20251115191307 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/1600x900/skysports-thomas-james_7082897.jpg?20251115191307 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/2048x1152/skysports-thomas-james_7082897.jpg?20251115191307 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Jordan James celebrates with Sorba Thomas" data-testid="article-image-image"/> Picture: Jordan James celebrates with Sorba Thomas Craig Bellamy had an unfamiliar view from the stands with the Wales supervisor serving a touchline ban after receiving a second yellow card within the competitors final month.

Bellamy's assistant Piet Cremers took his place within the technical space and 4 of Wales' starters - James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon Neco Williams - have been a reserving away from lacking out the ultimate qualifier.

Two of them got here unstuck in incidents that would actually damage Wales.

Leeds midfielder Ampadu captained his nation for under the second time with injured pair Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies absent.

<img class="sdc-article-image__item" loading="lazy" intrinsicsize="768x432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/768x432/skysports-daniel-james_7082894.jpg?20251115191200" srcset="https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/384x216/skysports-daniel-james_7082894.jpg?20251115191200 380w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/768x432/skysports-daniel-james_7082894.jpg?20251115191200 760w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/1600x900/skysports-daniel-james_7082894.jpg?20251115191200 1024w, https://e0.365dm.com/25/11/2048x1152/skysports-daniel-james_7082894.jpg?20251115191200 2048w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 1024px, 100vw" alt="Wales will have to beat North Macedonia to finish isecond in Group J" data-testid="article-image-image"/> Picture: Wales should beat North Macedonia to complete isecond in Group J Liechtenstein, ranked 206 out of 210 groups in world soccer, had not scored of their six qualifying defeats and conceded 23 at a median of practically 4 per recreation.

Wales predictably dominated possession as Liechtenstein lay in a low defensive block and received our bodies behind the ball.

The house purpose remained unthreatened till Nathan Broadhead's urgent compelled an error and James noticed his effort from the sting of the field pushed apart by Benjamin Buchel.

The identical mixture labored the following opening with James discovering Broadhead this time with a exact ball excessive.

Broadhead's wonderful contact took him previous Buchel, however the Wrexham striker couldn't convert from a good angle.

Wales thought they'd damaged the impasse after 26 minutes when James headed a deep Sorba Thomas nook again right into a congested six-yard field.

Buchel was flustered below stress from Dylan Lawlor and Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Broadhead who drove house emphatically.

However Welsh celebrations have been curtailed when Albanian referee Juxhin Xhaja was despatched to the pitchside monitor and determined that not less than one of many Wales centre-halves was in an offside place from James' header.

Emanuel Zund fired large from distance as Liechtenstein broke their shackles, however Buchel reacted properly to foil Mark Harris and James.

Wales raised the tempo after the break and Thomas delivered a cross to the far put up which Daniel James rattled towards the woodwork.

Williams then headed large from contained in the six-yard field because it started to seem like a kind of nights for Wales.

However, with the competition having ticked into its 61st minute, Williams performed a intelligent cross for Daniel James to interrupt behind the house defence.

James minimize out Buchel with a pleasant ball throughout the face of purpose, and his namesake Jordan had the simple process of ending Welsh nervousness.