Wales tee up crunch North Macedonia clash with win in Liechtenstein

Wales laboured to a 1-0 win over international minnows Liechtenstein to keep alive their hopes of World Cup qualification.

Jordan James claimed his first Wales goal from close range after Liechtenstein’s assorted collection of full-time players, office workers and students had held out for over an hour.

James wheeled away in delight with his obvious relief shared by 3,000 Wales fans filling three sides of the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.

Moments later, however, James was booked and another late caution for Ethan Ampadu sees both midfielders ruled out of Tuesday’s crunch tie with North Macedonia through suspension.

That Cardiff City Stadium contest is a game Wales must win to overtake North Macedonia and secure a more favourable draw in the play-offs in March.

Craig Bellamy had an unfamiliar view from the stands with the Wales manager serving a touchline ban after receiving a second yellow card in the competition last month.

Bellamy’s assistant Piet Cremers took his place in the technical area and four of Wales’ starters – James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon Neco Williams – were a booking away from missing out the final qualifier.

Two of them came unstuck in incidents that could really hurt Wales.

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

Liechtenstein, ranked 206 out of 210 teams in world football, had not scored in their six qualifying defeats and conceded 23 at an average of nearly four per game.

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

The home goal remained unthreatened until Nathan Broadhead’s pressing forced an error and James saw his effort from the edge of the box