Mexx Meerdink Scores Twice as Netherlands Beat Serbia 2-1 in UEFA Nations League - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Netherlands secured their first victory under Xavi Hernandez by defeating Serbia 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League Group A2 match in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sunday, September 27, 2026.

Meerdink emerged as the hero for De Oranje with a brace, while the hosts found the net through Luka Jovic.

De Oranje have now collected four points from two matches, whereas Serbia remain without a point and sit at the bottom of the group, according to the UEFA website as cited by Antara.

Meerdink had a chance in the 18th minute with a long-range shot, but goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic kept it out.

Two minutes later, Tijjani Reijnders threatened with a shot from outside the penalty area, which was once again denied by Milinkovic-Savic.

The Netherlands were awarded a penalty in the 30th minute. Aleksa Terzic fouled Crysencio Summerville inside the box, prompting the referee to point to the spot.

Meerdink successfully converted the penalty, giving the Netherlands a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

Just one minute into the second half, Luka Jovic equalized to make it 1-1.

Following a scramble in front of the Dutch goal, Jovic finished a pass from Sasa Lukic with a close-range shot into the left corner of Bart Verbruggen's net.

Ruben van Bommel nearly restored De Oranje's lead in the 53rd minute, but his volley struck the goalpost.

Ryan Gravenberch also tested Milinkovic-Savic with a long-range effort in the 65th minute.

The Netherlands finally found their second goal in the 69th minute. Guus Til, who had come on for Gravenberch just two minutes earlier, latched onto a through-ball from Joey Veerman and played it to Meerdink.

Meerdink then fired a low shot into the right corner of the Serbian goal, beyond the reach of Milinkovic-Savic. Filip Kostic unleashed a long-range shot in the 89th minute, but Verbruggen denied him. The Dutch goalkeeper made another save shortly after, parrying away a header from Jovic.

Van Bommel nearly scored in the 90th minute, but Milinkovic-Savic tipped the ball away.

The Serbian goalkeeper denied another long-range effort from Summerville during stoppage time.

Next, the Netherlands will face Greece in Thessaloniki on Friday (October 2), while Serbia travels to Germany.

Serbia: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Aleksa Terzic, Strahinja Pavlovic (Filip Kostic 71'), Srdan Babic, Kosta Nedeljkovic (Strahinja Erakovic 59'); Sasa Lukic, Nemanja Gudelj; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Dusan Tadic 46'), Aleksandar Stankovic (Nemanja Maksimovic 59'), Andrija Zivkovic; Dejan Joveljic (Luka Jovic 46').

Netherlands: Bart Verbruggen; Mickey van de Ven, Virgil van Dijk, Jan Paul van Hecke, Denzel Dumfries (Jurrien Timber 80'); Tijjani Reijnders (Kenneth Taylor 67'), Joey Veerman, Ryan Gravenberch (Guus Til 67'); Cody Gakpo (Ruben van Bommel 17'), Mexx Meerdink (Quinten Timber 80'), Crysencio Summerville.