Serbia 1-2 Netherlands: Meerdink double earns Xavi first victory

Mexx Meerdink scored twice as the Netherlands earned their first victory under new boss Xavi after they beat Serbia 2-1 at Stadion Rajko Mitic in the Nations League. 

The Netherlands needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Cody Gakpo on Xavi's debut against Germany, but they overcame a stern test on Sunday to seal all three points. 

Dejan Joveljic brought the first save out of Bart Verbruggen in the 17th minute before Meerdink stung the palms of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, with his shot coming after Gakpo was forced off due to an injury. 

But the Netherlands made the breakthrough in the 30th minute when Crysencio Summerville was fouled inside the penalty area by Aleksa Terzic, with Meerdink stepping up and wrapping his effort into the bottom-right corner. 

Denzel Dumfries should have doubled the visitors' lead after he was brilliantly slipped in by Meerdink, but Milinkovic-Savic was on hand to repel his attempt from a tight angle.

However, Serbia needed just 54 seconds after the break to draw level. Verbruggen made two excellent stops to deny Luka Jovic and Andrija Zivkovic, but Sasa Lukic's scuffed shot made its way back to Jovic, who finished first time from close range.

Ruben van Bommel, who replaced Gakpo in the first half, saw his bouncing effort hit the post before Ryan Gravenberch's long-range shot was comfortably held by Milinkovic-Savic as the Netherlands laid siege to Serbia's goal.

And their persistence was rewarded in the 69th minute through the lively Meerdink, who, on the slide, found the bottom-right corner after being teed up by substitute Guus Til.

Serbia almost pegged back the Netherlands soon after, but Jovic's header from a Dusan Tadic corner just evaded the far post, with Xavi's side holding on to go top of Group A2 ahead of Germany's clash with Greece later in the day. 

Meerdink making the most of his chance

After being initially left out of Xavi's first Netherlands squad, Meerdink, along with Til, were called up as late replacements for the injured Justin Kluivert and Donyell Malen, and the AZ striker has impressed in his first two Nations League games this season. 

Only Finland's Joel Pohjanpalo (three) has scored more goals in the 2026-27 Nations League than Meerdink (two, level with three other players), while he also finished with a team-high total for shots on target (three), while only Van Bommel (seven) had more touches in the opposition box than his six. 

Following their 1-1 draw with Germany, Xavi said his team delivered a "superior" second-half display, though it was more of a complete performance from his team here, despite allowing Jovic to score an equaliser so soon into the second half. 

The Netherlands finished with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.75 from their 25 shots, eight of which were on target, compared to Serbia's total of 1.41 from their 11 attempts. 

Xavi's side are on their travels again, with a clash against Greece to come this Thursday before they end the international break with a home game against Serbia on October 4.