Netherlands vs Serbia player ratings, Meerdink stars in Belgrade

Mexx Meerdink decided Serbia vs Netherlands with two goals and an 8.2 rating, and the Netherlands needed every bit of it to leave Belgrade with a 2-1 win. He scored a 30th-minute penalty, then finished the winner in the 69th minute after Luka Jović had levelled the match one minute after the restart.

Meerdink and the decisive moments

The first goal was the cleaner of the two, a penalty under pressure on 30 minutes. The second was more about timing and movement, with Guus Til coming on in the 67th minute and setting up the winner two minutes later.

Meerdink also had three shots on target from five attempts, which fits the story here. He was not just hanging around to finish moves off, he kept getting into the right spaces to decide them.

The Netherlands had control but still needed help

The wider numbers were one-sided. The Netherlands had 67% possession, 25 shots, 634 passes and 3.46 xG, and Joey Veerman helped keep the rhythm moving in midfield.

Even so, Bart Verbruggen still made five saves to protect the lead after Serbia's response. Xavi Hernandez's side is not a valid reading here, so the clear takeaway is simpler, the Netherlands controlled the game and still had to survive moments after the equaliser.

That balance is what makes the result feel earned rather than straightforward. The control was there, but so was the need for a goalkeeper to stop the game drifting again after Jovic's goal.