Juventus 2-1 Lazio: Cristiano Ronaldo Double Puts Juve on Brink of Ninth Consecutive Scudetto

Cristiano Ronaldo - Soccer Player
Ronaldo grabbed a brace in a 2-1 victory over Lazio | Stefano Guidi/Getty Images

Juventus edged closer to their ninth (NINTH) successive Serie A title with a 2-0 victory over Lazio at the Allianz Stadium on Monday evening.

Two record-setting Cristiano Ronaldo goals in the space of three second-half minutes proved decisive, leaving the Old Lady requiring just five points from their final four games to be crowned champions of Italy once more.

Lazio, who had emerged as strong title contenders after a stunning run of form pre-lockdown, have now won just one of their last five to leave them 11 points off Juventus at the Serie A summit.

Both sides came close to breaking the deadlock in a goalless opening 45 minutes. Adrien Rabiot forced Thomas Strakosha into a good save with a fizzing effort from distance, while Ciro Immobile struck the post on the stroke of half time.

Juventus eventually opened the scoring five minutes into the second half, as VAR judged Ronaldo’s shot to have struck a Lazio hand.

The Juventus forward buried his spot kick, and three minutes later, he had another.

Paulo Dybala capitalised in a lapse of concentration from the Lazio backline, scurrying away before teeing up Ronaldo to slot home his 30th Serie A goal of the season.

The former Real Madrid man could have had a hat-trick 10 minutes later, but his header crashed against the post.

But as the clock ticked down, Lazio were handed a lifeline when Leonardo Bonucci clumsily brought down Immobile in the box. The Lazio striker dispatched the subsequent spot kick to draw level with Ronaldo at the top of the Serie A scoring charts.

Buoyed by their lifeline, the visitors piled on the pressure. Wojciech Szczęsny palmed Sergej Milinković-Savić goal-bound free kick onto the post as Juventus clung on to take a huge step towards the Serie A title.

The Old Lady can seal the title with victory against Sampdoria on Sunday, providing they take three points at Udinese on Thursday.

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