Serie A
Result: Atalanta 2-2 Juventus
Date: 26 December 2018
Venue: Stadio Atleti Azzurri D'Italia
Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to rescue ten-man Juventus to draw 2-2 against Atalanta in Serie A on Wednesday afternoon. Bianconeri came to the game seeking their ninth straight win and still unbeaten in the league since the start of the campagn. Allegri opted to rest Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time this season, as the Portuguese started from the bench. On the other hand, Atalanta were without suspended defensive duo of Jose Luis Palomino and Rafael Toloi. Gian Piero Gasperini's charges made a bad start as Berat Djimsiti made a blunder after netting an own goal in just the second minute of the match trying to clear Alex Sandro's tame cross. Atalanta had to thank the brilliance of their goalkeeper Etrit Berisha for not conceding a second inside the first ten minutes, as the league leaders were threatening to run rampant after getting a fortuitous early goal. The hosts equalised in the 24th minute in stunning fashion as striker Duvan Zapata collected a ball with his back towards goal from just outside the box and used his strength to turn and curl his shot into the back of the net, 1-1. Massimiliano Allegri's troops were getting frustrated in the final stages of the hafl as they were unable to control the game the way they would have wanted. Bianconeri made a bad start to the second half as they were down to ten men eight minutes after the break, with Rodrigo Bentancur getting his second yellow card for a silly challenge and was red-carded. Zapata then made it 2-1 for Atalanta and completed his brace in the process three minutes later after guiding his header beautifully past Wojciech Szczesny following a corner. Allegri threw on Ronaldo in the 65th minute and withdrew midfielder Sami Khedira as the visitors were looking to avoid their first defeat of the season. Ronaldo brought the Old Lady back in the game 12 minutes before time, nodding home from close range after Mario Mandzukic headed down a cross into his path from a corner situation, 2-2. Gasperini made an attacking change two minutes before time bringing on Musa Barrow in place of Andrea Masiello. Leonardo Bonucci thought he had netted the winner for the visitors in the last minute, striking from close range but the goal was disallowed for offside as the encounter ended 2-2. 
