The big game has come and gone.

By and large, it was an underwhelming affair, football-wise, with England, as expected, dictating matters for long stretches and Malta defending stoically throughout the 90 minutes to restrict their much-vaunted opponents to two goals.

After their Euro 2016 travails, culminating in their shock exit to Iceland in the Last 16, and the sacking of Sam Allardyce only 67 days after taking over from Roy Hodgson, England are on a mission to restore their lost pride and boost the nation’s flailing spirits.

A 2-0 victory over modest opposition like Malta, courtesy of first-half goals from Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and Tottenham Hotspur’s playmaker Dele Alli, is unlikely to appease the fans and critics.

But the win meant a lot to interim manager Gareth Southgate who punched the air with delight as Sturridge’s downward header had the better of Andrew Hogg close to the half-hour after the Malta goalkeeper had denied England with a string of fine saves.

While England were suitably pleased with what amounted to a routine victory, the mood among the Malta squad was quiet but not downbeat.

You can never be happy after a defeat, even after one many described as dignified, but coach Pietro Ghedin and his players left the magnificent Wembley Stadium comforted by the knowledge that they had given their maximum.

The only regret was the manner in which Malta conceded the two goals during England’s best patch in the opening half, the first when Sturridge eluded the attentions of the Malta defenders to head Jordan Henderson’s cross and the second when another surging run by the Liverpool midfielder created a chance for Alli who flicked the ball home at the second attempt after Hogg had saved his initial shot.

Defender Zach Muscat, unflappable at the back, lamented the defensive oversights which led to England’s goals.

“A defeat always hurts,” the Arezzo centre-half told Times of Malta.

“Unfortunately, in the first half we were punished for our mistakes. Maybe it was due to a lack of concentration but in the second half we defended better.

“True, England were still in control and had a two-goal lead but in the second period, we were more compact and our understanding on the field of play improved.

“I believe that we can build on this performance.”

Trying to contain a team that dominated possession and attacked in numbers constituted a massive challenge for Malta.

Muscat said: “England knew they would enjoy a lot of possession and by having one of their defenders pushing forward constantly, they created an overload in midfield and that gave them an extra man in that crucial area of the pitch.

“The angles of their runs were unpredictable and there were instances when we were in two minds as to which players to mark because they were coming from everywhere.”

Malta defender Andrei Agius hits a shot despite the challenge of England midfielder Dele Alli, during the Group F qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Malta may have had their work cut out by England on Saturday but playing at Wembley Stadium in front of over 81,000 fans was a memorable occasion for our players.

“It was an unforgettable evening,” Muscat said. “Playing in front of such a big crowd was a great experience and the support of the Maltese fans made it extra special.

“Personally, I was pleased with my performance and I hope to get more opportunities to play in prestigious stadia like this in the future.”

Now, Malta’s attention turns to tomorrow’s Group F qualifier against Lithuania in Vilnius.

The scenario facing the national team is different now.

While Malta were on a damage-limitation exercise in London, the expectations are higher for tomorrow’s qualifier as, on paper, the games against Lithuania represent our best hope of getting some points.

Not that it will be easy. Malta may have beaten Lithuania 2-0 in a friendly  last year but the latter have shown that they are no pushovers, gaining two points from their opening two qualifiers, a 2-2 home draw against Slovenia and a 1-1 draw at Scotland on Saturday.

Muscat, 23, believes that the spirited showing against England has strengthened the Malta players’ self-belief ahead of the Lithuania encounter.

“The performance against England should stand us in good stead,” Muscat said.

“Although we lost, I believe that we can still take some positives from the game as, even against a strong team like England, we managed to create some good, one- and two-touch moves, and this should lift our confidence for the Lithuania game where we will be looking to pose more of a threat going forward.”

The Malta squad flew out to Lithuania yesterday afternoon.

Missing from the 21-man group was Alex Muscat who decided to return home yesterday after his wife gave birth to their second son just before the start of Saturday’s match.

Ghedin will not call a replacement for Alex Muscat as he had already included an extra player in his squad, Jonathan Caruana.

The Valletta centre-half missed the England game due to suspension but is now back in the frame for the Lithuania qualifier.

Hart praise for Hogg

Goalkeeper Andrew Hogg’s brilliant performance on Saturday was not lost on Joe Hart, his English counterpart.

The on-loan Torino goalkeeper praised Hogg’s performance on his Facebook page.

“3 points is important, clean sheet. As a goalkeeper fan I have to congratulate Andrew Hogg on a magnificent performance,” Hart wrote alongside a picture of Hogg’s shirt.