Ronaldo Fires Juventus to Contentious VictoryRonaldo Fires Juventus to Contentious Victory In a match marred by controversy, Cristiano Ronaldo led Juventus to a contentious 2-1 victory over AS Roma at the Allianz Stadium. The Portuguese superstar opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a clinical finish from close range. However, Roma were awarded a controversial penalty just before halftime when Paulo Dybala was adjudged to have fouled Nicolo Zaniolo. Jordan Veretout converted the spot-kick to level the scores. The second half was played at a frantic pace, with both teams pushing for the winner. Juventus were eventually rewarded for their efforts when Ronaldo curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner in the 77th minute. Roma were furious with the decision to award the free-kick, as they felt Stephan El Shaarawy had been fouled in the buildup. The Roma players protested vehemently, and referee Gianluca Manganiello was forced to stop the game for several minutes. Despite the protests, Juventus held on to their lead to secure all three points. The victory moved the Old Lady up to seventh place in the Serie A standings, while Roma remain in fourth. However, the match will be remembered more for the controversy surrounding Ronaldo’s free-kick than for the result itself. Roma manager Jose Mourinho was particularly critical of the decision, calling it “a pathetic, shameful, unheard-of scandal.” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri defended the decision, saying that El Shaarawy had not been fouled. He also praised Ronaldo for his performance, saying that he “always makes the difference.” The controversy surrounding the match is likely to continue for some time, but there is no doubt that Ronaldo’s goal was a moment of brilliance. The Portuguese superstar has now scored nine goals in all competitions for Juventus this season.
