Alexander Isak scored twice inside nine minutes as Liverpool defeated Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road on Friday, 4 September 2026, giving manager Andoni Iraola his first Premier League victory and moving Liverpool to fifth in the table.

Isak opened the scoring in the sixth minute before doubling Liverpool’s advantage three minutes later. Cody Gakpo provided the assist for both goals.

The quickfire double gave Liverpool a commanding start and ultimately proved enough to secure all three points.

The victory was Liverpool’s first of the Premier League season after the club drew their opening two matches against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

The result also marked an important moment for Iraola, who had begun his Liverpool tenure with two consecutive 2-2 draws.

Isak’s performance offered further encouragement after a difficult first season at Liverpool. The Swedish striker joined the club from Newcastle United in a reported £125 million transfer but managed three league goals during the previous campaign.

The two goals at Portman Road took Isak’s league tally for the new season to three. Gakpo has assisted all three of his goals.

Ipswich improved after Liverpool’s early burst and created opportunities to get back into the match, but Liverpool’s defence held firm to preserve the clean sheet.

The victory leaves Liverpool with five points from their opening three Premier League matches, while Ipswich remain on three points.

For Iraola, the result provides an early boost as he looks to establish his style and build momentum at Liverpool.

The club will now turn its attention to the Champions League, with Atlético Madrid set to visit Anfield on Wednesday, 9 September.

African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi has warned Nigerians against voting for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, saying doing so could mean continued economic hardship.

Amaechi made the remark while speaking about the political choices Nigerians will face ahead of the 2027 election. He contrasted a vote for Tinubu with support for the opposition, arguing that Nigerians should reject policies he believes have worsened living conditions.

“So you have a choice to either vote for Tinubu and die of poverty or vote Atiku and make money,” Amaechi said.

The former Rivers State governor is running as the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate alongside the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. The party formally announced Amaechi as its vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

His remarks come as political parties and candidates intensify their campaigns ahead of the 2027 presidential contest, with the economy expected to remain a central issue for voters.

Tinubu, who is seeking re-election under the All Progressives Congress, has defended his administration’s economic reforms, while opposition figures have continued to criticise their impact on Nigerians.

Amaechi’s statement reflects the increasingly confrontational tone of the emerging 2027 campaign, with opposition politicians seeking to make the cost of living and economic conditions major issues in their challenge to the incumbent president.

The 2027 presidential election is expected to feature a broad field of contenders, with the ADC coalition positioning itself as a major opposition force seeking to unseat Tinubu.

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has explained the difficulty of securing Sambisa Forest, saying its vast size makes the military operation there far more complex than many people assume.

Musa said the forest should not be viewed as a small, easily contained area, stressing that its scale presents a major challenge to security forces operating against insurgents.

“Sambisa Forest is as big as Belgium as a country, so when people talk about these things, they make it look as if it is one small football field and we are refusing to do anything,” he said.

His remarks come amid continued military efforts to contain insurgent activity in parts of northeastern Nigeria, where Sambisa Forest has historically served as a stronghold for Boko Haram and other armed groups.

The forest has been the focus of several military operations over the years, with Nigerian forces carrying out ground and aerial operations against insurgents operating in the area.

Musa’s comments were aimed at putting the security challenge into perspective, arguing that the scale of the terrain makes the fight considerably more demanding than public discussions sometimes suggest.

The comparison with Belgium has circulated widely following his remarks, although estimates of the size of Sambisa Forest vary considerably depending on the boundaries and definition used. The comparison should therefore be understood as Musa’s description of the scale of the area rather than a settled geographical measurement.

The defence minister’s broader argument was that the complexity of the terrain and the continued presence of armed groups require sustained military efforts rather than an expectation of an immediate resolution.