Ronaldo scores in 9th straight game to match Juve mark
Cristiano Ronaldo converted two penalties to tie a club record by scoring for a ninth straight game as Serie A leader Juventus bounced back from a rare loss with a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina yesterday.
The penalties came toward the end of each half as Ronaldo – who appeared bothered by a bloody cut to his ankle during the pre-match warmup – matched David Trezeguet’s streak from 2005.
Ronaldo now has 19 goals in 19 matches of this season’s Italian league – only two fewer than he scored in all of last season – and in 50 Serie A matches since joining Juventus from Real Madrid before last season, he has been involved in 50 goals (40 goals and 10 assists)
Matthijs de Ligt added another for Juventus in added time by heading in a corner.
Juventus moved six points clear of Inter Milan, which was visiting Udinese later.
The first penalty was awarded after a shot from Miralem Pjanic hit the hand of Fiorentina defender Germán Pezzella. After the penalty was confirmed by the VAR, Ronaldo coolly slotted a low shot inside the left post before goalkeeper Bartłomiej Drągowski could get there.
The second penalty came after Federico Ceccherini got in the way of Rodrigo Betancur, who was making his way through the Fiorentina defense. Ronaldo again sent his spot kick inside the left post while Drągowski this time leaped in the other direction.
Rocco Commisso, the American cable TV magnate who bought Fiorentina last year, took issue with the penalties.
“I’ve been here for six months and I’ve never criticized the referees, but I’m now saying that referees cannot decide the games,” Commisso said. “I am disgusted. Maybe the first one was a penalty, but the second one certainly was not. The referees cannot decide the games. They need to let the players do their work on the field.
“Juventus pays huge salaries. They don’t need extra help,” Commisso added. “I am disgusted by what I saw today, but also last week with Genoa and then against Inter.”
Juventus vice chairman Pavel Nedved responded by saying “we are seeing too much of this narrative against Juventus, suggesting that Juventus does not deserve its victories.”
Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny was exceptional early on to deny Fiorentina as the visitors threatened with several chances against their hated rival.
Inter also win comfortably
Inter also won comfortably against Udinese as they maintained the pace at the top with leaders Juventus.
They won 2-0 thanks to goals from Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku in the 74th and 71st minutes, the second from a penalty.
The victory keeps them in 2nd place on 51 points, three behind Juventus and two ahead of 3rd placed Lazio.
Other results
Ciro Immobile and Felipe Caicedo each scored braces in Lazio’s 5-1 rout of Spal, which dropped into last place. Lazio forward Bobby Adekanye also got on the scoresheet with his first Serie A goal.
Atalanta was held to a 2-2 draw at home by Genoa but still moved ahead of Roma into fourth place and the final Champions League spot.
Meanwhile, eighth-place AC Milan was held to a 1-1 draw by Hellas Verona as Zlatan Ibrahimović was held out due to sickness. After Davide Faraoni’s opener for Verona, Hakan Çalhanoğlu replied for Milan. Verona played the final 22 minutes with 10 men after Sofyan Amrabat was shown a direct red for coming down on Samu Castillejo’s leg.
Arsenal held 0-0 by Burnley, sits 10th in Premier League
Arsenal was held to a 0-0 draw at Burnley yesterday, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side 10 points from the Champions League places in 10th place in the Premier League.
Arsenal remains without a victory in the league since New Year’s Day.
The north London visitors came close to conceding in the 77th minute when Jay Rodriguez struck the underside of the bar from close range before the ball bounced down on the line.
Bergwijn debut goal helps Tottenham beat Man City 2-0
Steven Bergwijn volleyed in a debut goal and Son Heung-min also netted to give Tottenham a 2-0 victory over 10-man Manchester City to revive Jose Mourinho’s pursuit of Champions League qualification.
Second-place City’s sixth loss of its Premier League title defence left Liverpool 22 points clear with 13 games remaining and in contention to end its 30-year league title drought by winning the Merseyside derby at Everton on March 16.
Tottenham rose to fifth place and moved within four points of fourth-place Chelsea as Jose Mourinho’s side got the best of the champions despite having only a third of possession and being outshot 17-3.
Tottenham scored from two of its shots on target after Oleksandr Zinchenko’s push on Harry Winks to halt a counterattack on the hour saw the City midfielder shown a second yellow card.
Tottenham was in front in the 63rd minute when Bergwijn brought down a pass from Lucas Moura with his chest, controlled the ball on the turn and volleyed into the bottom corner. The winger only arrived four days ago from PSV Eindhoven.
Shortly after Bergwijn came off with cramp, it was the recordsigning from the summer transfer who helped to create the second goal.
Tanguy Ndombele had been on the pitch barely a minute when he sent the ball through to Son, who struck past goalkeeper Ederson in the 71st minute.
Mourinho was ecstatic after being infuriated in the first half and laughing in bemusement as decisions went against Tottenham.
Raheem Sterling avoided being sent off for fouling Dele Alli. In a separate incident play was rolled back several minutes for VAR to award a penalty for a tackle by Serge Aurier on Sergio Aguero.
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris did save the spot kick from İlkay Gündoğan. But then VAR assessed whether another penalty should be awarded for Lloris’ block as Sterling tried to net from the follow-up. As that VAR review was being conducted, both sets of players clashed and no penalty was awarded.
Daniel Maldini extends family dynasty at AC Milan
Daniel Maldini made his firstteam debut for AC Milan yesterday, extending a family dynasty with the club.
The 18-year-old Maldini was brought on in stoppage time during Milan’s 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona in Serie A.
Grandfather Cesare and father Paolo were both Milan captains. However, unlike Cesare and Paolo – who were both defenders – Daniel is a midfielder.
“The debut was a goal that I had set,” Daniel, who wore the No. 98 shirt, told Milan’s TV channel. “Now let’s hope we can continue it.”
While Cesare died in 2016, Paolo Maldini is Milan’s current technical director.
Born in 2001, Daniel became the first player born in his millennium to play in the top division for Milan.