Ronaldo continues hot streak
Playing in his 1,000th professional game, Portuguese star scores for the 11th consecutive match in the league
ROME: Cristiano Ronaldo scored for a record-equalling 11th consecutive Serie A game in his 1,000th professional match as Juventus extended their league lead on Saturday with a 2-1 win over basement club SPAL.
The 35-year-old tapped in six minutes before the break to equal the mark held by Gabriel Batistuta and Fabio Quagliarella. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored 25 goals in all competitions this season for Juventus, including 16 in his current run of 11 matches.
Aaron Ramsey added a second after an hour, before Andrea Petagna pulled one back from the spot for SPAL, amid controversy as the penalty was awarded following a VAR review despite the pitchside monitor not working.
It got Juventus back to winning ways away from home after consecutive defeats against Napoli and Hellas Verona, and ahead of next week’s trip to French club Lyon in the Champions League last 16, first leg. Maurizio Sarri’s side opened up a fourpoint lead on second-placed Lazio who travel to Genoa on Sunday.
Inter Milan are six points behind the champions before their game at home against Sampdoria, which was postponed due to fears of a coronavirus outbreak. “These were very difficult matches and in the last few years we had never won here,” said Sarri. “The test was to collect the three points, then from tomorrow morning we will study Lyon thoroughly.
“The goal is the championship. The Champions League is a dream, even if in life it is always nice to achieve dreams.” Ronaldo had an early goal ruled offside but made no mistake when running onto Juan Cuadrado’s low cross after Ramsey’s ball forward.
The Portuguese forward drew level with Sampdoria forward Quagliarella, who in January 2019 equalled the mark previously achieved by Batistuta in 1994-1995 for Fiorentina.
Both Italian Quagliarella and Argentine Batistuta went on to finish the seasons as the Serie A top scorer after their feat, with both scoring 26 goals in total.
Ronaldo has 21 goals in Serie A
this season, five behind leading scorer Ciro Immobile.
Ramsey doubled Juve’s lead on the hour mark, latching onto Paulo Dybala’s pass to produce a scooped lob over SPAL goalkeeper Etrit Berisha for his second
league goal of the season.
Petagna pulled one back with a penalty awarded for a Daniele Rugani foul on Simone Missiroli after 68 minutes, a decision made by VAR officials with referee unable to check the faulty monitor.
LAZIO KEEP CHASE
Lazio kept their bid for a first Serie A title in 20 years on track as a 3-2 victory at Genoa on Sunday kept them one points behind leaders Juventus.
Adam Marusic scored the opener for Lazio with less than two minutes on the clock before Ciro Immobile netted his 27th Serie A goal of the campaign six minutes into the second half.
Francesco Cassata pulled one back for the relegation-threatened hosts, but Danilo Cataldi secured Lazio all three points despite Domenico Criscito’s late consolation.
“We’re doing something great. The lads know it and I’m not hiding from saying it,” said Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi.