Key Takeaways:
- The Netherlands clinched a 2-1 victory against Serbia in the UEFA Nations League in Eindhoven last night
- Joshua Zirkzee scored the decisive goal, marking his first international strike in two years
- Xavi extended his unbeaten run as Netherlands manager to four matches (W2, D2) with his inaugural home win
Early Dominance and Set-Piece Brilliance
Seeking to complete a UEFA Nations League double over Serbia, the Netherlands pressed forward from the outset. Joey Veerman tested Serbia’s goalkeeper, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, with a powerful shot inside the opening 15 minutes, prompting an athletic diving save.
The breakthrough arrived just after the half-hour mark. Teun Koopmeiners, appearing for the first time in this international window, delivered a low, curling free-kick into the penalty area. The ball bypassed Virgil van Dijk, on his 100th cap, and nestled into the bottom corner, giving the hosts a deserved lead.
Three points at home! 🤩🇳🇱 https://t.co/kjh0tOI065
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) October 4, 2026
Serbia Hit Back Amid Defensive Lapses
Koopmeiners’ success was short-lived, however, as his brief deployment as a centre-back was soon exploited. Mihajlo Cvetkovic climbed above the Dutch midfielder to meet Aleksa Terzic’s deftly clipped cross, steering a precise header beyond Bart Verbruggen to bring Serbia level before half-time.
Buoyed by his maiden international goal, Cvetkovic nearly gave Serbia the lead seconds after the restart, eluding Koopmeiners but failing to hit the target. The Serbian side continued to threaten, forcing Verbruggen into important saves from distance against both Lazar Samardzic and Cvetkovic.
Second-Half Response and Zirkzee’s Impact
Surviving a sustained spell of Serbian pressure, the Netherlands responded clinically with less than 20 minutes remaining. Denzel Dumfries fired a driven cross towards the far post, where Tijjani Reijnders set up Joshua Zirkzee to tap home, scoring his first international goal since 2022.
Although the hosts were forced to finish with ten men following Micky van de Ven’s late injury, and Verbruggen needed to keep out Nemanja Gudelj’s dipping effort, the Dutch held on to reclaim top spot in Group A2. Meanwhile, Serbia remain without a point at the foot of the table.
