Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus strolled to a 3-Zero dwelling win over backside aspect Crotone in Serie A on Monday, with the victory taking the champions as much as third within the standings.
Juve had been somewhat sluggish to get going, however their ever-reliable talisman arrived to satisfy an Alex Sandro cross within the 38th minute to provide Andrea Pirlo’s aspect the lead.
✈️ #𝐂𝐑𝟕𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬: 𝘧𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘵! ⚽️#JuveCrotone #FinoAllaFine #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/zdf4KMExAr
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) February 22, 2021
Ronaldo seemed hungry for extra and one other bullet header in first-half stoppage time doubled the lead, taking the Portugal ahead again to the highest of the league’s scoring charts on 18 objectives, one forward of Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku.
The 36-year-old had probabilities to finish a hat-trick however it was Weston McKennie who added the third, hammering dwelling his fourth Serie A aim of the season within the 66th minute.
A primary win in 4 matches in all competitions ensured Juve climbed from sixth to 3rd within the desk and onto 45 factors, eight behind leaders Inter with a sport in hand.
“The will we’ve got to return to the highest makes me really feel comfy,” Pirlo mentioned. “The angle of the gamers additionally pleases me.
“When we’ve got extra gamers free from damage I’ll have extra alternative and this additionally makes me really feel comfy. We all know that Inter are an excellent crew and we all know we’ve got to combat [to win the title].”
Weston McKennie scored for Juventus … and made positive to do his iconic Harry Potter celly 😂 pic.twitter.com/wl0lUPeaPl
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 22, 2021
Crotone stay rooted to the foot of the desk with 12 factors from 23 video games, eight factors from the security zone.
Aaron Ramsey thought he had given the champions the lead with a looping header solely to see the ball come out off the crossbar, earlier than Ronaldo confirmed him how it’s finished with two expertly-taken headers.
All the time trying to break data, Crotone grew to become the 78th totally different aspect Ronaldo has scored towards in Europe’s prime 5 leagues — solely Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored towards extra groups since 2000.
A obvious miss on the finish of the half confirmed Ronaldo is simply human, earlier than two wonderful saves denied him one other hat-trick after the break.
McKennie’s close-range end put the sport past doubt, however the league’s prime goalscorer was nonetheless doing all the things he may, proper till the final minute, so as to add one other.
