Wales Secure Hard-Fought Victory in Vaduz
Wales kept their World Cup qualification dreams alive with a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Liechtenstein in Vaduz. The match saw Jordan James score his first international goal to break the deadlock after more than an hour of frustration against the determined minnows.
Midfield Suspensions Cast Shadow Over Win
Despite the crucial three points, Wales manager Craig Bellamy faces selection headaches for Tuesday's decisive qualifier against North Macedonia. Both Jordan James and Ethan Ampadu received late yellow cards, ruling them out through suspension for the must-win match in Cardiff.
Bellamy himself watched from the stands while serving a touchline ban, with assistant Piet Cremers taking charge in the technical area. The Welsh squad had entered the match with four players, including James, Ampadu, Joe Rodon, and Neco Williams, all one booking away from missing the final qualifier.
Welsh Dominance Finally Rewarded
Against a Liechtenstein side ranked 206th in the world and featuring part-time players, Wales controlled possession throughout but struggled to convert their dominance into goals. The home team's resilient defensive block frustrated Welsh attacks until the 61st minute breakthrough.
The decisive moment arrived when Neco Williams played an intelligent pass to Daniel James, who broke behind the Liechtenstein defence. James delivered a perfect cross across the face of goal, leaving his namesake Jordan with a simple finish to ease Welsh nerves.
Earlier, Wales thought they had taken the lead when Nathan Broadhead converted after a goalmouth scramble, but Albanian referee Juxhin Xhaja disallowed the goal following a VAR review for offside. Daniel James also struck the woodwork with a powerful effort as Wales increased pressure after halftime.
The victory means Wales must now defeat North Macedonia at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday to overtake them in the group standings and secure a more favourable draw for the playoff rounds in March.
