RONALDO’S GOAL SETS NEW RECORD FOR JUVENTUS
Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a brace as
Italian champions Juventus finished 2018 on a high with a 2-1 win over
Sampdoria giving the Italian champions a new record of 53 points before the
winter break.
Ronaldo curled in the opener after just
two minutes in Turin adding a second from the penalty spot after 66 minutes,
putting the Portuguese top of Serie A’s scoring charts with 14 goals.
Fabio Quagliarella pulled Sampdoria level
with a penalty after 33 minutes, with the visitors having a late Riccardo
Saponara goal ruled offside after consultation with the video assistant
referee.
Juventus open up a 12-point lead at the top
of Serie A ahead of Napoli who can reduce the gap when they host Bologna later
on Saturday.
The seven-time reigning champions also have a
record number of points before the three-week winter break with 53 from 19
games.
“The team is doing very well, we had an
excellent first half to the season, now we have to keep working to ensure we
keep this form in the second half of the season,” Ronaldo told Sky
Sports Italia.
“I like VAR because these are difficult
decisions for a referee and we should welcome anything that makes his job
easier.”
The reigning champions have dropped points
just twice this season, being held by Genoa at home and 2-2 against Atalanta
midweek, and are firmly on track for an eighth consecutive Scudetto.
Ronaldo had come off the bench to score
in Bergamo but returned to the starting line along with Miralem Pjanic.
And the Portuguese striker found a way
through early picking up a Paulo Dybala cross to fire in past Sampdoria
goalkeeper Emil Audero.
But Sampdoria pulled level following a
penalty awarded when Emre Can handball with Quagliarella making no mistake past
Mattia Perin in the Juventus goal.
The 35-year-old became the first player to
score in nine consecutive Serie A games since David Trezeguet for Juventus in
2005.
Audero denied Dybala before the break with
Mario Mandzukic missing a chance to finish off a Ronaldo cross.
The Sampdoria goalkeeper again deflected over
a Ronaldo header on the hour but the hosts went ahead when the
referee awarded a penalty for an Alex Ferrari handball off a corner after a VAR
viewing.
Substitute Saponara looked to have grabbed a
point in injury time but VAR ruled he was in an offside position and the goal
was disallowed as Sampdoria stay fifth two points behind Lazio who occupy the
final Champions League spot.
Inter Milan, in third, travel to Tuscany side
Empoli later on Saturday without their fans after racism and violence
overshadowed Christmas football in the Italian league.
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