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A first-half strike by David Edwards and a late Mario Frick own-goal gave Wales a 2-0 World Cup qualifying Group 4 win over a stubborn Liechtenstein side at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Edwards netted his first international goal with a low, angled drive on 42 minutes after excellent work by Chris Gunter and Simon Davies down the right.

John Tosack's men sealed the win from an 81st-minute corner when substitute Ched Evans saw his header take a wicked deflection off visiting captain Frick that left impressive keeper Peter Jehle with no chance.

Until Frick's intervention, Tours shot-stopper Jehle had kept Liechtenstein in a match that Wales dominated and should have won by many more goals.

Gareth Bale was Wales's stand-out player along with Jason Koumas, with both causing the Central European minnows endless problems going forward.

Both had chances to score, as did the returning Craig Bellamy, who was foiled on three occasions by Jehle, with another effort palmed onto the crossbar.

Bellamy was bright and excitable after overcoming a series of injuries that saw him absent for his country for an entire season, and he was replaced after the second goal went in.

He did, however, miss a penalty at the end of the first half. Bale was brought down in the area after a corner but Bellamy saw his low spot-kick saved by Jehle.

It was the third penalty in three consecutive World Cup qualifiers that Wales have missed, and it will surely see spot-kick duty passed back to Bale after he was stripped of the responsibility after missing in the 1-0 win over Azerbaijan - Koumas also missed in the 2-1 defeat in Russia.

Liechtenstein, meanwhile, were better than expected of a side containing amateur players.

While they rarely tested Wayne Hennessey in the Wales goal, they worked hard and passed neatly and, for the most part, defended with aplomb.

Hans Peter Zaugg's men almost grabbed a late consolation when late sub Ronny Buechel fired over the bar from close range in the closing minutes, but Wales were always in control and almost got a third when Jehle again saved well from Davies.

The win puts Wales second in Group 4, after Germany's victory over Russia in Dortmund put Joachim Loew's side top with seven points to Wales's six.

Germany 2-1 Russia

Germany retained top spot Group 4 after first-half goals from Lukas Podolski and Michael Ballack gave them a 2-1 win over Russia.

Podolski opened the scoring when he picked up Miroslav Klose's pass on the edge of the penalty area in the ninth minute, hustled his way around defender Vasily Berezutsky and slammed the ball past Igor Akinfeyev in the Russian goal.

Captain Ballack was in the right place to double Germany's lead 20 minutes later by side-footing home Bastian Schweinsteiger's clever cross with Akinfeyev stranded.

Germany came under pressure after the break when Russia's playmaker Andrei Arshavin stabbed Alexander Anyukov's cross into an empty net in the 51st minute after a rare mistake by Philipp Lahm but the visitors failed to find an equaliser.

Finland 1-0 Azerbaijan

Striker Mikael Forssell converted a 62nd-minute penalty to give Finland a 1-0 win over Azerbaijan.

The Finns, dominant throughout but wasteful with their chances, were awarded the penalty after defender Sami Hyypia was pulled down following a corner kick.

"There are a lot of positives tonight," Finland's Scottish coach Stuart Baxter said, although he added the team had to toughen up mentally.

Reda Maher / Eurosport