Match ends, SPAL 1, Juventus 2.
SPAL 1-2 Juventus: Cristiano Ronaldo scores in win to equal Serie A record in 1,000th game
- From the section European Football
Want to mark your 1,000th senior game in style? How about a record-equalling 11th consecutive Serie A goal?
That's what Cristiano Ronaldo did - the Juventus forward responding in style to news of Lionel Messi's four-goal haul for Barcelona earlier in the day.
Ronaldo, 35, met Juan Cuadrado's cross to equal the Italian top-flight record, shared with Gabriel Batistuta and Fabio Quagliarella.
Aaron Ramsey added a second for the Serie A leaders in a 2-1 win over SPAL.
Ramsey's delightful finish on the hour, in which he chipped the ball over goalkeeper Etrit Berisha after great work by Paulo Dybala, proved decisive - as Andrea Petagnalater pulled one back for bottom side SPAL from the penalty spot.
Victory sees Maurizio Sarri's Juventus move four points clear at the top of Serie A, with title rivals Lazio and Inter Milan not in action until Sunday.
Portugal international Ronaldo, who also struck the crossbar with a free-kick in the closing stages, has scored 16 times during his record-equalling 11-game run in the league.
With 36 goals in 36 games for club and country this season, Ronaldo will have the opportunity to break the Serie A record goalscoring streak against Inter Milan on Sunday 1 March.
Line-ups
SPAL
- 99Berisha
- 4CionekBooked at 90mins
- 41Bonifazi
- 87ZukanovicBooked at 45mins
- 13Reca
- 7MissiroliSubstituted forTunjovat 80'minutes
- 6Valdifiori
- 19CastroSubstituted forFaresat 60'minutes
- 21StrefezzaBooked at 88mins
- 37Petagna
- 8ValotiBooked at 19minsSubstituted forDi Francescoat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Floccari
- 11Murgia
- 14Dabo
- 22Thiam
- 23Vicari
- 25Letica
- 26Sala
- 27Dias da Silva Dal Belo
- 31Di Francesco
- 40Tomovic
- 93Fares
- 96Tunjov
Juventus
- 1Szczesny
- 13DaniloBooked at 90mins
- 24Rugani
- 3ChielliniSubstituted forde Ligtat 55'minutes
- 12Lobo Silva
- 16Ju Cuadrado
- 8RamseySubstituted forRabiotat 73'minutes
- 30Bentancur
- 14MatuidiBooked at 78minsSubstituted forBernardeschiat 79'minutes
- 10Dybala
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
Substitutes
- 2De Sciglio
- 4de Ligt
- 25Rabiot
- 31Pinsoglio
- 33Bernardeschi
- 35Olivieri
- 41Coccolo
- 42de Oliveira Andrade
- 43Peeters
- 77Buffon
- Referee:
- Federico La Penna
- Attendance:
- 15,262
Match Stats
Home TeamSPALAway TeamJuventus
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away20
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away6
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home25
- Away15
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, SPAL 1, Juventus 2.
Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Gabriel Strefezza (SPAL).
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Arkadiusz Reca (SPAL).
Foul by Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus).
Ervin Zukanovic (SPAL) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Kevin Bonifazi.
Attempt blocked. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Sandro.
Attempt missed. Mohamed Fares (SPAL) header from a difficult angle on the right is too high. Assisted by Mirko Valdifiori with a cross following a corner.
Corner, SPAL. Conceded by Daniele Rugani.
Booking
Thiago Cionek (SPAL) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Thiago Cionek (SPAL).
Foul by Adrien Rabiot (Juventus).
Gabriel Strefezza (SPAL) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
Danilo (Juventus) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution
Substitution, SPAL. Federico Di Francesco replaces Mattia Valoti.
Attempt missed. Daniele Rugani (Juventus) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Paulo Dybala with a cross following a set piece situation.
Booking
Gabriel Strefezza (SPAL) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Alex Sandro (Juventus) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gabriel Strefezza (SPAL).
Alex Sandro (Juventus) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gabriel Strefezza (SPAL).
Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mohamed Fares (SPAL).
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mohamed Fares (SPAL).
Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.
Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mattia Valoti (SPAL).
Offside, Juventus. Adrien Rabiot tries a through ball, but Paulo Dybala is caught offside.
Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mattia Valoti (SPAL).
Attempt missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Juan Cuadrado with a cross.
Alex Sandro (Juventus) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gabriel Strefezza (SPAL).
Substitution
Substitution, SPAL. Georgi Tunjov replaces Simone Missiroli.
