The young midfielder James nets Wales to crucial World Cup triumph over Liechtenstein.
Wales earned a narrow 1-0 win against less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to sustain their hopes of World Cup qualifying.
Jordan James notched his first international strike for Wales from near the goal after Liechtenstein’s mix of full-time players, office workers and part-timers had resisted for more than 60 minutes. James wheeled away in elation with his visible excitement mirrored by the 3,000 Welsh followers packed into most sections of the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz.
Moments later, however, James was booked and a further booking for his midfield partner means both midfielders are unavailable for the upcoming decisive game with their next opponents due to disciplinary issues.
The Wales' ground contest is a game the Welsh team need to win to move above North Macedonia and secure a improved position in the playoffs in March.
The Wales manager had an unfamiliar vantage point from the dugout, the head coach undertaking a touchline ban after being shown a additional booking in the qualifiers earlier.
The manager's number two his assistant took his place in the dugout and multiple first-teamers – James, Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Williams – were one caution from from missing the final qualifier. Both James and Ampadu were booked in incidents that may damage their team.
The home side, situated 206 out of 210 teams in international football, had not scored in their six qualifying defeats and let in twenty-three goals at an rate of nearly four per fixture.
Wales unsurprisingly had most of the play as Liechtenstein lay in a deep defensive line and defended in numbers.
Their opponent's target was rarely tested until Nathan Broadhead chasing down forced an error and James saw his attempt from the 18-yard line pushed aside by BĂĽchel.
A similar move crafted an opportunity, James finding his teammate on this occasion with a precise pass into space.
The attacker's excellent control evaded BĂĽchel but the forward could not convert from a difficult angle.
Wales thought they had scored the opener after 26 minutes when Jordan James nodded a high Sorba Thomas set-piece back into a packed goal area.
The Liechtenstein keeper was flustered by Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his weak punch fell to Broadhead who scored decisively. But Welsh elation were curtailed when the match official was directed to the video review system and decided that a player of the Wales centre-halves was in an offside position from Jordan's initial touch.
Wales raised the tempo after the half-time and Sorba Thomas delivered a cross to the far post which Daniel James rattled against the crossbar.
Neco Williams then directed his header off target from within the penalty box as it appeared like one of those nights for the Welsh side.
Yet, with the match having reached its second half, Neco Williams played a clever pass for Daniel James to get in behind the opposition backline.
James cut out BĂĽchel with a excellent pass into the danger area, and his teammate Jordan had the easy job of ending Wales' tension.
