Ronaldo fires Juventus to top of Serie A

Reigning champions Juventus seized their opportunity to edge two points clear of Inter Milan in the Serie A title race with victory over Roma.

Maurizio Sarri’s side struck twice in the opening 10 minutes, as Merih Demiral met Paulo Dybala’s free-kick before Dybala then earned a penalty which Cristiano Ronaldo duly converted.

Roma responded in the second half through Diego Perotti’s spot-kick.

Antonio Conte’s Inter were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Atalanta on Saturday.

Meanwhile, third-placed Lazio recorded a 10th consecutive Serie A win against Napoli to sit six points behind Juventus with a game in hand.

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Ronaldo’s ninth goal in seven games appeared to have put Juventus in firm control in a first half overshadowed by a serious-looking injury to 20-year-old Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, following a challenge by Matthijs de Ligt.

But Paulo Fonseca’s hosts produced a reaction after the interval, striker Edin Dzeko hitting the post moments before a video assistant referee review found Sandro to have handled amid a goalmouth scramble.

With the Stadio Olimpico roaring Roma on, Juve’s Gonzalo Higuain had a goal disallowed for offside while Aleksandar Kolarov missed an excellent headed opportunity to equalise.

Juve held on despite late pressure to record a fourth successive league win since suffering a first defeat of the season against Lazio in December.