Wales claimed a narrow but vital away victory, defeating Albania 1-0 in Shkoder in the first leg of their FIFA World Cup play-off semi-final.

The result hands Wales a slender advantage heading into the second leg, with the tie still very much in the balance for both sides.

The Welsh side showed resilience on the road, grinding out the win against an Albanian team determined to protect home ground in front of their own supporters.

Wales will now look to close out the tie when the second leg takes place on home soil, knowing that a clean sheet on the road is a significant platform from which to push for World Cup qualification.