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Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 for Xavi’s first win

By Drooid · Sep 27, 2026, 10:46 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Netherlands Beat Serbia

Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 in the Nations League, giving new coach Xavi Hernández his first win.
Mexx Meerdink scored a 30th-minute penalty to put the Dutch ahead.
Luka Jovic equalised for Serbia in the 43rd minute.
Meerdink scored the winner in the 69th minute after Ruben van Bommel’s cross.
The win lifted the Netherlands to the top of Group A2 with four points, leaving Serbia bottom with none.

Summary

Gakpo Injured Early

Cody Gakpo left the Serbia match early after an ankle injury from Sasa Lukic’s foul.
The injury forces the Netherlands to reassess attacking options for upcoming Nations League fixtures.
Austria coach Ralf Rangnick fielded a side without captain David Alaba, indicating rebuilding.
Centre-back David Affengruber scored his first international goal on his second Austria cap.
Junior Adamu netted his inaugural goal for Austria during the Kosovo match.

History

Historical Context

The Netherlands, coached by Guus Hiddink, reached the 1998 World Cup semi-finals in France, losing 2-1 to Brazil and then 2-1 to Croatia in the third-place match. That tournament, held 10 June–12 July 1998 with 32 teams and 64 games, marked the Dutch side’s third straight World Cup appearance and underscored the need for squad depth, a lesson echoed in today’s roster decisions.

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Netherlands Beat Serbia

Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 in the Nations League, giving new coach Xavi Hernández his first win.
Mexx Meerdink scored a 30th-minute penalty to put the Dutch ahead.
Luka Jovic equalised for Serbia in the 43rd minute.
Meerdink scored the winner in the 69th minute after Ruben van Bommel’s cross.
The win lifted the Netherlands to the top of Group A2 with four points, leaving Serbia bottom with none.

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