The Netherlands secured a 2-1 road victory against Serbia on Sunday at the Stadion Rajko Mitić in Belgrade during UEFA Nations League Group 2 action. The result handed new head coach Xavi Hernández his first win in charge of the national team.
Forward Mexx Meerdink starred in just his second international appearance, scoring both goals for the Dutch side. The AZ striker was brought into the spotlight because the Netherlands were missing several established attacking options, including Brian Brobbey, who suffered a hamstring injury against Germany, and the unavailable Donyell Malen.
The match also saw early trouble for the visitors when Cody Gakpo hobbled off injured in the 17th minute and was replaced by Ruben van Bommel.
Despite the setbacks, the Netherlands dominated possession, holding 67% of the ball and registering 22 total shots. The breakthrough came on the half-hour mark when Crysencio Summerville was fouled inside the box by Aleksa Terzić. Meerdink stepped up to fire the resulting penalty into the bottom-right corner, notching his first-ever senior international goal.
Serbia responded immediately after the half-time break following tactical changes by the hosts. Substitute Luka Jović equalized in the 46th minute, turning the ball in from the center of the box during a goalmouth scramble.
However, Xavi’s side reclaimed the lead in the 69th minute. Substitute Guus Til delivered a precise pass to Meerdink, who unleashed a left-footed strike from the center of the box into the bottom right corner to seal the 2-1 victory.
Group Standings and Upcoming Schedule
The victory lifts the Netherlands to four points in Group 2, following a late 1-1 draw against Germany in Amsterdam during Xavi’s managerial debut on Thursday. Xavi took over the Dutch bench following the departure of Ronald Koeman, who left after a round-of-16 elimination against Morocco at the World Cup.
Serbia remains at the bottom of the group after missing out on World Cup qualification and dropping its opening fixtures. The UEFA Nations League schedule continues next week:
- October 1: Netherlands vs. Greece (Away)
- October 1: Serbia vs. Germany (Away)
- October 4: Netherlands vs. Serbia (Home in Eindhoven)
