Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 at Rajko Mitić
Serbia and Netherlands met in the UEFA Nations League, League A, division 2 at the Rajko Mitić Stadium on Saturday evening. The Dutch side took all three points with a 2-1 victory after a hard-fought contest. Mexx Meerdink scored twice for the visitors while Luka Jović replied for the hosts. We had backed the away side at 82 per cent confidence, and the result followed the script.
Meerdink opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the thirtieth minute, and here's the thing — Serbia looked rattled after that. Lukić picked up a yellow card twelve minutes earlier, and the pressure told. Jović equalised almost immediately after the break, the forty-sixth minute seeing him slot home. To be fair, it was a moment that kept the match alive.
Meerdink restored his side's lead in the sixty-ninth minute, and by then the visitors had settled into their rhythm. The Dutch were dominant in the air from set plays, but Serbia kept finding ways through. Reijnders and Gravenberch came on together in the sixty-seventh minute, and things came to a head after that. Serbia made three changes in the second half but couldn't find the breakthrough.
The statistics tell a story of control. Netherlands had sixty-seven per cent possession and made 125 attacks compared to 72. They created six big chances to Serbia's four, and their expected goals figure of 2.75 reflected that dominance. Serbia were not without their moments — five saves from their goalkeeper, four big chances created, and a shots accuracy of 55 per cent showed efficiency when it mattered.
The result leaves Serbia fourth in the table with zero points from two defeats. Netherlands sit top with four points, a win and a draw keeping them ahead. The hosts have now lost their last five matches across all competitions, a run that dates back to March. The Dutch, meanwhile, are unbeaten in five and moving into a strong position.
