The Netherlands secured their first win under new head coach Xavi Hernandez, beating Serbia 2-1 in a Nations League match in Belgrade on Sunday. This victory comes after a 1-1 draw with Germany in Xavi's debut on Thursday. The Dutch team moved to four points from two games in Group A2. Xavi, a Barcelona great, took over as Netherlands coach after a disappointing World Cup exit at the hands of Morocco.
The match against Serbia was marked by a missed opportunity for the home team in the 17th minute when Dejan Joveljic shot straight at Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. However, the Netherlands took the lead on the half-hour mark through a penalty scored by Mexx Meerdink, his first international goal. Meerdink's goal came after Aleksa Terzic fouled Crysencio Summerville. Serbia equalized shortly after the restart through Luka Jovic, who scored following a goalmouth scramble.
The Netherlands reclaimed the lead in the 69th minute with Meerdink scoring his second goal, firing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner after being played in by substitute Guus Til. This goal secured the win for Xavi's team. The match was also marked by an injury to Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo, who was replaced by Ruben van Bommel.
In another Nations League match, Denmark bounced back from a dramatic loss to Norway on Thursday by beating Wales 2-0 in Copenhagen. The win came in Group A4. Denmark's forward Gustav Isaksen had a first-half strike ruled out for offside, before Mikkel Damsgaard rattled a shot off the post. The hosts went ahead eight minutes into the second period when Wales skipper Ben Davies diverted Damsgaard's free-kick into his own net.
Denmark doubled their advantage 13 minutes later when Isaksen's deflected shot spun in off the crossbar. This goal sealed the win for Denmark, who have now won their last four meetings with Wales. The team missed out on the World Cup with a penalty shoot-out defeat by the Czech Republic in the play-offs.
In League B, Austria secured a 3-1 win over Kosovo in Vienna, with goals from David Affengruber, Junior Adamu, and Carney Chukwuemeka. The match was part of their campaign to top their group. Meanwhile, Ireland was set to play against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, despite concerns and protests over the fixture due to the situation in Gaza.
The Ireland-Israel match on October 4 has been moved from Dublin's Aviva Stadium to Backa Topola, Serbia, due to concerns over disruption and security. Prominent Irish figures, including sportspeople, fan groups, and pro-Palestinian campaigners, have protested against the ties going ahead. The decision to fulfill the fixture was made late, adding to the controversy.
Key points
- Xavi Hernandez secured his first win as Netherlands head coach with a 2-1 victory over Serbia.
- Denmark beat Wales 2-0 in Copenhagen in Group A4 of the Nations League.
- Austria won 3-1 against Kosovo in League B, while Ireland faced concerns over their match against Israel.
