Serie A: Ronaldo inspires Juventus to ninth consecutive Scudetto with 2-0 win over Sampdoria
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| The leaders lap up their latest trophy triumph after winning Serie A with two matches left to play thanks to goals in either half. Photo: GettyImages via DailyMail |
Video ⬇ Cristiano Ronaldo's 31st Serie A goal of the season and Federico Bernardeschi's second-half effort delivered a ninth successive Scudetto for Juventus as they defeated Sampdoria 2-0.
Juve knew three points would clinch another title but, having won just one of their previous five games, they needed a moment of magic from their talisman in first-half stoppage time to set them on their way.
Ronaldo swept home following a well-worked Miralem Pjanic free-kick for his 10th goal since the league resumed - making him the most prolific player across Europe's top five leagues following the coronavirus-enforced break - and it was an unlikely source who wrapped up the triumph as Bernardeschi scored his first Serie A goal since September 2018.
Juve's night of celebration was only slightly spoiled by injuries to Danilo, Paulo Dybala and Matthijs de Ligt, while Ronaldo slammed a late penalty against the crossbar to miss out on equalling a club record.
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| Cristiano Ronaldo (second from left) hugs a member of the coaching staff after winning the league in Italy for the second time. Photo: Reuters via DailyMail |
Injuries, rather than chances, were the story early on as Samp's Julian Chabot and Juve's Danilo were forced off before Dybala made way too.
Danilo's replacement Bernardeschi forced Emil Audero into a save, but he then failed to hit the target with a set-piece, leading to Juve getting creative from their next dead-ball situation near goal.
Pjanic eschewed a shot, instead squaring for Ronaldo, whose first-time effort found its way into the bottom corner of the net to give Juve a half-time advantage.
Juventus are "Stron9er" ⬇
Samp threatened a comeback, though, as Mehdi Leris and Lorenzo Tonelli both missed the target either side of a Gaston Ramirez free-kick that Wojciech Szczesny had to claw out.
However, Maurizio Sarri's men could breathe easier when Bernardeschi followed up Ronaldo's saved effort in the 67th minute to score a long-overdue goal.
Any slim hopes Samp had were extinguished when Morten Thorsby received a 77th-minute red card for a second caution following a lunge on Pjanic, with De Ligt then swiftly removed having seemingly sustained a knock in an earlier challenge.
Ronaldo could have added an 89th-minute exclamation point when Fabio Depaoli brought down Alex Sandro in the box, but the Portugal great's effort came back off the woodwork.
Watch: Juventus are Champions of Italy for the ninth consecutive time ⬇
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