Sports
Serie A: Juventus Return To Top Of League Table After Win Over Verona
Former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey scored his first Juventus goal on his maiden start as Cristiano Ronaldo’s spot-kick gave Serie A Champion 2-1 win over Verona on Saturday.
Welsh international Ramsey pulled Juventus level in the 31st minute in Turin in reply to Miguel Veloso’s early Verona goal, with a well-taken Ronaldo penalty ensuring all three points for the hosts just after the break.
It got Maurizio Sarri’s side back winning after last weekend’s Serie A stalemate at Fiorentina and a 2-2 Champions League draw at Atletico Madrid midweek.
Sarri’s side moves one point ahead of Inter Milan at the top of the table before Antonio Conte’s side play city rivals AC Milan later on Saturday.
Read Also: Champions League: Atletico, Juventus Played 2-2 Draw In Dramatic Comeback
Italian goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon returned to the Juventus goal after spending a season in Paris Saint-Germain to match Paolo Maldini’s Italian record of 902 club matches.
Buffon’s appearances have been spread across three clubs — Parma, Juventus and PSG — with Maldini having spent his entire career with Serie A rivals Milan.
But the 41-year-old — who played his last game for Juventus also against Verona here in May 2018 — could not keep a clean sheat and was beaten by Veloso after 21 minutes.
Amid confusion in front of the Juve goal after Simone Di Carmine missed a Verona penalty, and Darko Lazovic’s rebound rattled the bar, Veloso pounced to rifle a long range strike past Buffon.
But Ramsey got the champions back on level terms 10 minutes later on his full debut after coming on late against Atletico, with a deflected effort past Verona goalkeeper Marco Silvestri.
Ronaldo put Juventus ahead from the spot with just his second goal this season three minutes after the restart, having missed two chances before the break.
Verona kept pushing with Buffon denying Mattia Zaccagni and Lazovic on front of goal after 89 minutes and Veloso denied a brace by the post, but Juve held on to take the three points.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli travel south to promoted Lecce on Sunday after seeing off European champions Liverpool 2-0 on Tuesday.
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