The Netherlands claimed a 2-1 victory over Serbia at Philips Stadion on Sunday to top UEFA Nations League Group A2, as coach Xavi Hernández deployed tactical shifts and Joshua Zirkzee scored the decisive goal in the 72nd minute.
Tijani Reijnders and Joshua Zirkzee Deliver Group Leadership at Philips Stadion
The Netherlands claimed a 2-1 victory over Serbia in Eindhoven, securing the top spot in Group A2 of the UEFA Nations League. Teun Koopmeiners opened the scoring for the hosts in the 31st minute with a direct free kick, before Mihajlo Cvetković equalized for Serbia four minutes later by heading in an Aleksa Terzić cross.
Tijani Reijnders supplied the decisive pass to Joshua Zirkzee, who finished past goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen’s opposite number to restore the Dutch advantage in the 72nd minute. The result moves the Netherlands to eight points from four matches, level with Greece on points but ahead on goal difference, while Serbia remains at the bottom of the group without a point. Earlier in the match, coach Xavi Hernández had to replace striker Mexx Meerdink after the 23-year-old suffered a muscle issue during the first half.
Teun Koopmeiners and Virgil van Dijk Mark Milestone Appearances in Eindhoven
Coach Xavi Hernández restructured his lineup for the fixture, deploying Teun Koopmeiners in central defense alongside Virgil van Dijk, who celebrated his 100th international appearance for the national team surrounded by his wife and children in the stands. Koopmeiners responded to his positional shift with a standout performance that included 92 touches, four ball recoveries, four clearances, and three key passes. Following the match, the Dutch captain received a golden shield on the pitch and was further honored inside the dressing room by the executive director of Dutch football, Marianne van Leeuwen.
We fought like a single family, and we really had to suffer,
Xavi Hernández told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The defensive pairing weathered late pressure from Serbia, including a dangerous effort from Nemanja Gudelj that Verbruggen turned away. Crysencio Summerville earned the highest match rating on the pitch at 8.0 from Sofascore after playing the full duration, winning eight of nine duels and creating four key chances on the right flank.
Xavi Hernández Assesses the First Four Matches of the Nations League Campaign
Reflecting on his first four fixtures in charge, which opened with a 2-2 draw against Germany, a 2-1 win over Serbia, a 2-2 draw in Greece, and Sunday’s return victory, Xavi noted that his team is still searching for defensive consistency.
“The most important thing is to score more than our opponent, but we want to keep clean sheets, and that takes time. I will get some rest now because the past period has been intense, and I will continue to follow everyone. We are building a family,” Xavi Hernández told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The Netherlands will resume its Nations League campaign next month, hosting Greece in Amsterdam on November 13 before traveling to Berlin to face Germany three days later.
