Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his 1,000th match with another goal in Italy as Juventus beat SPAL 2-1 away from home on Saturday afternoon in Serie A.
The Portugal captain opened the scoring for Juve at the Stadio Paolo Mazza to make it a record-equalling eleven successive league games in which he has found the net, a run during which Ronaldo has scored 16 goals.
Colombian Juan Cuadrado was the architect for Ronaldo’s strike in the 39th minute, playing a nice first-time cross from the right for the Portuguese to convert at close range. Aaron Ramsey doubled the champions’ lead on the hour with a deft finish before SPAL scored what proved merely a consolation from the penalty spot through Andrea Petagna.
✔ 1000th professional match
— Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) February 22, 2020
✔ Scores in 11 consecutive Serie A game
⚫⚪ Cristiano Ronaldo gives Juventus the lead! pic.twitter.com/4radbQkIqm
Ronaldo, who rattled the crossbar late on from a free-kick, now joins Gabriel Batistuta and Fabio Quagliarella in scoring for 11 consecutive Serie A matches. The 35-year-old is set to get his opportunity to break the record next Sunday against title rivals Inter in Turin, after Juve’s midweek Champions League clash with Anthony Lopes’ Lyon.
By Sean Gillen