Result: Cagliari 1-3 Juventus
Date: 14 March 2021
Venue: Sardegna Arena
Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics after bagging a first-half half-trick to guide Juventus back to winning ways in Serie A on Sunday night.
Ronaldo highlighted Juventus' starting line-up following their heart-breaking UEFA Champions League exit to FC Porto on Tuesday evening.
The Portuguese star broke the deadlock in no less than ten minutes after rising highest to head Juan Cuadrado's corner-kick past goalkeeper Alessio Cragno.
Alvaro Morata, who featured in the midweek capitulation, missed a big chance to double Juve's lead at the midway point with a timid attempt at Cragno from a ball by Federico Chiesa.
It was then left to Ronaldo five minutes before the half-hour mark to double their tally from the penalty spot after he won a foul from Cragno in the six-yard area.
The Portuguese superstar completed his hat-trick after he picked up a ball from Chiesa following a counter-attack two minutes from the half-hour mark to work an angle for a composed finish with his left foot to make it a perfect hat-trick.
A substitution from the Old Lady followed two minutes later when Alex Sandro made way for Federico Bernardeschi, as Morata missed another clear chance afterwards.
Cagliari applied intense pressure on the Bianconeri 12 minutes following the restart as goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny produced a superb save to thwart a shot from Razvan Marin.
However, the Pole was breached after three minutes when Giovanni Simeone connected with a cross from Gabriele Zappa for a smart header.
Juventus were sliced open again towards full-time after Gaston Pereiro closed in with a shot across the far corner while Ronaldo was denied in second-half stoppage time, as the champions find themelves 10 points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan.
