Updated 10.36pm - Malta suffered further heartache this evening after going down 2-0 to Lithuania in Vilnius to remain without a point after three 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The final scoreline might give the impression that Lithuania had an easy win but it was anything but as they needed two late goals to secure the points after Malta, who had been the better team in the first half, crumbled following the sending-off of defender Jonathan Caruana.
It was the second time in three games that Caruana has been sent off, this time for a penalty-box foul, and Lithuania sealed the points after labouring to break down the Maltese defence.
Malta had looked more adventurous than in their 2-0 defeat to England but their late collapse, both physical and mental, again left them empty-handed in a game from which which they ought to have taken something.
Michael Mifsud, making his 121st appearance for Malta, started ahead of Alfred Effiong as Malta's attacking spearhead.
The other changes in Ghedin's starting XI saw the returning Jonathan Caruana and Joseph Zerafa replace Ryan Camilleri and Alex Muscat respectively.
Ghedin retained a 5-3-2 formation with Andrè Schembri playing off Mifsud.
Lithuania threatened to take the lead inside the opening two minutes as goalkeeper Andrew Hogg saved a low shot from Nerijus Valskis from inside the box after Malta had partially cleared a Lithuania free-kick but after that it was Ghedin's men who played the better football.
Malta's first cohesive move on nine minutes yielded a chance as Schembri flicked the ball to the advancing Zerafa whose cross, driven low into the box, found the Boavista playmaker who could only flick the ball sideways.
In the first 18 minutes of this game, Malta ventured into Lithuania's half more than they had perhaps done in the entire game against England, something that should have lifted Schembri following his criticism of his team's attacking frailties at Wembley.
Struggling to cope with Malta's non-stop pressing and tactical discipline, Lithuania looked low-key for much of the opening half.
A shot by Fenech, after good work by Kristensen and Schembri, sailed wide of the near post.
There was a chance for the hosts when Arvydas Novikovas ran to the byline down the right and dragged in a dangerous cross that sparked a melee in the six-yard box but Cernych was crowded out by the Malta defenders.
Just before half-time, Hogg did well to push away a menacing drive from Slivka before picking himself up to stop Cernych's follow-on header.
Fenech tried to surprise goalkeeper Ernestas Setkus with a swerving shot, after being set up by Schembri, but the midfielder's effort was wide.
Lithuania stepped up a gear but Malta refused to buckle. They created a brilliant chance on the hour when Schembri picked out Mifsud who sprinted into the box but his first shot was blocked.
The Malta captain was first to the loose ball and duly passed to the advancing Gareth Sciberras whose angled shot was deflected away for a corner.
The hosts increased their pressure.
Cernych had a dangerous attempt, from Egidjus Vaitkunas, deflected wide but, from the resultant corner, the hosts opened the scoring.
Novikovas's corner caused a scramble in the box as the Maltese defenders struggled to deal with Lithuania's tall players and Cernych was on hand to sent a looping header into the net.
Ghedin threw on Effiong for Kristensen, a move aimed at strengthening Malta's punch, but the Reds' hopes were dashed when Lithuania won a penalty after Caruana was adjudged to have brought down substitute Deividas Matulevicius who had tried to connect with Novikovas's free-kick.
Caruana was sent off by the referee and Novikovas, the hosts' best player, despatched his shot into the net from the spot to all but wrap up his team's first win in Group F.
Lithuania
E. Setkus, G. Freidgeimas, T. Mikuckis, E. Vaitkunas, A. Novikovas (86 M. Grigaravicius), V. Slivka, M. Kuklys (79 K. Chvedukas), A. Zulpa. N. Valskis (61 D. Matulevicius), F. Cernych, V. Andriuskevicius.
Malta
An. Hogg, J. Caruana, J. Zerafa, G. Sciberras, A. Agius, S. Borg, P. Fenech (86, M. Mifsud, A. Schembri (84 R. Muscat), B. Kristensen (80 A. Effiong), Z. Muscat.
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain).