Reijnders’ hat-trick fires Dutch to 7-0 rout of Greece, Germany beat Serbia

Tijjani Reijnders netted a first-half hat-trick as the ⁠Netherlands thrashed Greece 7-0 in the ⁠Nations League on Friday, while Germany earned a 3-1 victory away to Serbia in the other Group A2 game.

The Dutch were 5-0 up at the break, with Crysencio Summerville putting the hosts ahead in the sixth minute before Reijnders ran ⁠riot and Jurrien Timber notched their fifth before half-time. Timber scored again just before the hour mark, with Donyell Malen netting the final goal.

Germany took a third-minute lead through an own goal, and Florian Wirtz added a second 11 minutes later. Brajan Gruda scored on his debut five minutes after the ⁠break before Srdan Babic pulled one back for Serbia, who finished the game with nine men.

The Netherlands are top of the standings on 11 points, and Germany moved level on eight points with Greece to leave the three sides battling it out for two quarterfinal places on Monday. Germany will host the Netherlands in Berlin while Greece host a Serbian side that has lost all five fixtures.

Greece and the Netherlands both came into the game unbeaten, but ‌the Dutch destroyed the visitors in a devastating display of attacking prowess.

The opening goal came after Greece lost possession close to their own area, before a poorly controlled ball by defender Konstantinos Mavropanos fell to Summerville and he slipped his shot past the keeper.

Joey Veerman threaded a pass through to Reijnders, whose strike found the roof of the net from the edge of the six-yard area in the 12th minute, and six minutes later he finished off Malen’s pass across goal.

Reijnders completed his hat-trick with a simple tap-in after Denzel Dumfries nodded the ball down in the six-yard box, and Timber netted from close range with Malen providing another assist.

Timber’s second came after Dumfries’ cross was pushed ⁠away by the keeper, and Malen got his well-deserved goal following some neat skill and a lay-off from ⁠Dumfries.

Jurgen Klopp had a difficult start to life as Germany’s manager, winning just one of his opening four games, also against Serbia.

Klopp had used his first international window to experiment with a 44-man roster split into two separate squads, but his chosen 11 put in a dominant display under heavy rain in Belgrade, especially in the ⁠opening half.

Germany went in front after a Kai Havertz header went in off Babic, and when Havertz had a shot parried away by keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Wirtz was there to convert the rebound.

Klopp’s side missed chances to ⁠finish off the game in the first half but looked well in control after Gruda’s ⁠solo goal.

Gruda collected Joshua Kimmich’s pass inside his own half, drove forward largely unopposed and drilled a low shot into the far corner from outside the area.

Babic’s goal gave Serbia hope, while Germany continued to attack. Kimmich had a goal ruled out for offside, and Derry Scherhant hit the post before Vanja Dragojevic’s red card in the 74th minute. Serbia had ‌another substitute, Andrija Zivkovic, sent off late on.

In Group B1, Switzerland earned promotion to League A thanks to a 0-0 draw in Slovenia, while Scotland earned a 2-1 win over North Macedonia thanks to a John McGinn double. Scotland captain Andy Robertson made a record-equalling 102nd ‌appearance, ‌drawing level with Kenny Dalglish.

Slovakia were held to a 2-2 draw at home by the Faroe Islands in Group C3, but the point was enough for the hosts to clinch promotion.

Iceland romped to a 5-0 win in Bulgaria to remain top of Group C4, with Andri Gudjohnsen providing a hat-trick.