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Alexander Isak scored twice inside nine minutes as Liverpool defeated Ipswich 2-0 for Andoni Iraola’s first win as manager.
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Cody Gakpo assisted both goals as Liverpool produced a fast start before controlling the game.
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Troy Parrott scored late to give Real Betis a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in La Liga.
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Kylian Mbappe missed an injury-time penalty as Real Madrid suffered their first defeat under Jose Mourinho.
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Bradley Barcola also made his Liverpool debut following his £123 million move from PSG.
September 05, (THEWILL) — Alexander Isak finally sparked Liverpool into life under Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool secured their first victory of the Iraola era with a 2-0 win away to Ipswich Town.
Isak Gives Iraola First Liverpool Win
Liverpool wasted little time putting their previous struggles behind them at Portman Road.
Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes, with Cody Gakpo providing the assist for both goals as Liverpool established a commanding advantage before Ipswich could settle.
The first arrived in the sixth minute when Gakpo found Isak inside the area, allowing the Swedish striker to fire past goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen.
Three minutes later, Isak struck again after getting behind the Ipswich defence and calmly finishing past Scherpen.
The early double was exactly what Iraola needed after Liverpool had been held to draws in their opening two league matches.
Isak’s performance was also significant after a difficult previous campaign, with the striker now looking increasingly comfortable in his new surroundings.
Liverpool could have added to their advantage, including when Isak found the net again in the first half, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Ipswich improved after their disastrous opening but could not find a way back into the contest.
Liverpool ultimately managed the second half professionally to secure their first clean sheet and their first three points under Iraola.
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Barcola Makes Liverpool Debut
Another major talking point at Portman Road was the arrival of Bradley Barcola.
The French forward came off the bench in the second half to make his Liverpool debut following his £123 million move from Paris Saint-Germain.
While Barcola did not add to the scoreline, his introduction provided another glimpse of the attacking options available to Iraola following Liverpool’s major summer spending.
The result moves Liverpool onto five points from three matches and provides early evidence that Iraola’s methods may be beginning to take shape.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
