Xavi Hernandez off the mark! Mexx Meerdink brace secures first victory for Netherlands boss in hard-fought Serbia win

The dawn of the Xavi era at the helm of the Dutch national team had begun with a promising, if slightly frustrating, 1-1 draw against Germany earlier in the week. Heading to Belgrade, the former Barcelona manager knew that a statement result was required to truly kickstart his tenure. Facing a Serbian side desperate to rectify a difficult year, the visitors initially found under pressure when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic unleashed a dangerous effort that narrowly missed the target.

The breakthrough arrived midway through the first half following a lapse in discipline from the Serbian backline. Aleksa Terzic was judged to have unfairly bundled over Crysencio Summerville inside the penalty area, leaving the referee with little choice but to point to the spot. Mexx Meerdink stepped up to take the responsibility, and while goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic correctly guessed the direction of the strike, the power and precision were enough to find the net.

Despite the positive scoreline, the opening period was not without its drawbacks for the Oranje. Denzel Dumfries came agonizingly close to doubling the advantage, but his effort was expertly parried by the Serbian shot-stopper. More concerning for Xavi was the sight of Cody Gakpo being forced off the field due to an injury, an early blow that disrupted the visitors' attacking fluency. Serbia manager Veljko Paunovic sensed an opportunity to turn the tide and introduced the experienced Dusan Tadic alongside Luka Jovic at the halftime interval, a tactical adjustment that paid immediate dividends for the home supporters in Belgrade.

Within sixty seconds of the restart, the hosts were level. A chaotic sequence inside the Dutch penalty area saw Bart Verbruggen produce two reflex saves to deny Jovic and Filip Kostic, but the Oranje defense failed to clear the danger effectively. The ball eventually fell back to Jovic, who made no mistake with a sharp left-footed finish to restore parity.

The Netherlands refused to buckle under the pressure and nearly reclaimed the lead almost instantly. Ruben van Bommel was the architect of a fine attacking move, sending a downward strike toward goal that beat the keeper but clipped the outside of the post. The pressure continued to mount as Dumfries, operating with his usual high energy, picked out Tijjani Reijnders in a dangerous position. The midfielder had ghosted into the box unmarked but failed to keep his composure, blasting his right-footed attempt high over the crossbar when he really should have tested the Serbian goalkeeper.

However, the winning moment finally arrived courtesy of the clinical Meerdink. The forward demonstrated his poaching instincts by latching onto a well-weighted pass from Guus Til, taking the ball perfectly into his stride before firing a low, left-footed shot past Milinkovic-Savic. It was a goal that showcased the best of the Oranje's attacking interplay and silenced the Belgrade crowd. The strike ensured that the Netherlands would not be punished for their earlier wastefulness, placing them back in the driver's seat as the match entered its final and most frantic stages.

Serbia refused to go down without a fight, throwing bodies forward in a desperate search for another equalizer. They came incredibly close to leveling the score for a second time when Jovic rose highest to meet a Dusan Tadic corner, but his header whistled just inches past the far post. Despite their late surge and obvious endeavor, Paunovic's men were unable to find a way through a resolute Dutch defense. The final whistle brought a sense of relief for Xavi, whose side has now extended their unbeaten run in competitive matches to 18 games, excluding penalty shootouts.

Thanks to this victory, the Netherlands move to the top of Group 2 with four points, while Serbia remain bottom without a single point. Up next in the Nations League, Xavi's side face an away trip to Greece on October 1, while Serbia travel to take on Germany on the same day.