Serbia have lost three in a row under Paunović, and Xavi’s Netherlands go to Belgrade without their striker

Serbia and the Netherlands both go into Sunday’s Nations League game in Belgrade without a win in Group A2, and it is Serbia who have the bigger problem. Kick-off at the Rajko Mitić Stadium is 18:00 local time, which is 9:30pm IST.

Veljko Paunović’s side were a goal up against Greece on Thursday inside four minutes, when Andrija Živković headed in. They still lost 2-1. Christos Tzolis equalised in the 74th minute and Anastasios Douvikas won it in stoppage time, after Greece coach Ivan Jovanović had thrown every forward he had on to the pitch.

Three defeats in a row for Paunović

That was Serbia’s third straight loss. The other two came in friendlies before the summer’s World Cup, which Serbia did not qualify for: 3-0 to Cape Verde in Lisbon on 31 May, then 5-1 to Mexico in June. Paunović has won two of his seven games in charge and lost the other five.

He is also short of forwards. Dušan Vlahović pulled out of the squad with an injury after scoring for Beşiktaş, and Aleksandar Mitrović is not available either, so Serbia are without both of their established strikers at once. Luka Jović is the likeliest man to lead the line, with Dušan Tadić back in the squad to help create.

Xavi’s second game, and a new striker

The Netherlands took a point from Xavi Hernández’s first competitive game in charge, but it took until stoppage time. Felix Nmecha put Jürgen Klopp’s Germany ahead in the 32nd minute in Amsterdam, and Cody Gakpo equalised in the second minute of added time, volleying in a cross from the debutant Ruben van Bommel.

That night cost Xavi his centre-forward. Brian Brobbey went off with a hamstring injury in the 35th minute and has left the squad, and Joshua Zirkzee was called up in his place ahead of Wout Weghorst and Memphis Depay. The man who replaced Brobbey on Thursday, AZ’s Mexx Meerdink, is widely expected to make his first start.

What a result would mean

Greece top the group after that win in Belgrade and go to Germany later on Sunday. The Dutch have one point, and a win here would put them four points clear of a Serbia side left with nothing from two home games.

I would not read too much into Serbia’s early goal against Greece. With Vlahović and Mitrović both missing, the gap in attacking talent between these squads is wide right now. If Meerdink starts, it is his game to announce himself in, and a Dutch win is the likelier result. A Serbian side with this much riding on the night and a Belgrade crowd behind it can still make that hard work.

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