The young midfielder James scores the Welsh team to crucial World Cup victory against the Liechtenstein national team.
The Welsh side claimed a hard-fought 1-0 success against less-fancied opponents Liechtenstein to maintain their hopes of World Cup finals qualifying.
The young midfielder notched his debut international strike for the national team from close range after the home side's mix of full-time players, amateurs and students had defended for over an hour. The scorer ran off in elation with his visible excitement shared by the three thousand Wales fans packed into multiple stands of the stadium in the capital.
Soon afterwards, however, Jordan James was cautioned and another late caution for Ethan Ampadu means the pair are suspended for the upcoming crunch tie with North Macedonia through suspension.
The Cardiff City Stadium fixture is a clash Wales need to win to leapfrog their rivals and secure a more favourable seeding in the qualifying playoffs in March.
The Wales manager had an unfamiliar view from the dugout, the head coach completing a touchline ban after picking up a further caution in the competition last month.
Bellamy’s number two his assistant took his place in the coaching zone and multiple first-teamers – Jordan James, Ethan Ampadu, Rodon, Williams – were a booking away from missing the last group game. Both James and Ampadu were booked in situations that might hamper their team.
Their opponents, situated near the bottom in international football, had not scored in their previous six losses and conceded 23 goals at an rate of nearly four per match.
Wales predictably dominated possession as Liechtenstein lay in a deep defensive line and got bodies behind the ball.
The home goal remained unthreatened until Nathan Broadhead high press caused a mistake and James saw his shot from the 18-yard line parried by the goalkeeper.
The same combination created another chance, James locating Broadhead this time with a well-weighted pass into space.
The attacker's excellent first touch took him past the keeper but the forward was unable to score from a narrow position.
Wales believed they'd scored the opener after 26 minutes when James headed a deep Sorba Thomas corner back into a packed penalty box.
The Liechtenstein keeper was under pressure by Lawlor and Joe Rodon, and his poor clearance fell to Nathan Broadhead who drove home emphatically. But Welsh joy were curtailed when the match official was instructed to the VAR screen and decided that a player of the Wales central defenders was in an illegal position from James’s initial touch.
Wales raised the tempo after the break and Sorba Thomas sent in a centering pass to the far post which Daniel James rattled against the frame of the goal.
Neco Williams then missed with a header from inside the goal area as it appeared like a difficult match for the Welsh side.
Yet, with the game having ticked into its 61st minute, Neco Williams executed a clever pass for his teammate to break behind the Liechtenstein defenders.
Daniel James bypassed BĂĽchel with a excellent pass across the face of goal, and his namesake Jordan had the simple job of easing Welsh tension.
