Serie A
Result: Juventus 2-1 Sampdoria
Date: 29 December 2018
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Juventus got back to winning ways with a 2-1 win over Sampdoria in their last Serie A match of 2018, with Cristiano Ronaldo playing a starring role. Bianconeri came into the game with a nine point cushion and still unbeaten atop the Serie A table after surviving a scare the last time out against Atalanta. Cristiano Ronaldo started the match after coming from the bench to score the equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Atalanta. Meanwhile, the visitors were unbeaten in their last seven league matches. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for the Old Lady with his first attempt at goal in the second minute, making space for himself on the far side of the box and fired a low shot into the back of the net after a through ball from Paulo Dybala. Massimiliano Allegri's charges were threatening mainly from the flanks in the first quarter of an hour with Ronaldo and Dybala seeing a lot of the ball. Dybala came close to making it 2-0 for Juventus in the 24th minute with a chance at the back post, almost similar to Ronaldo's opener, but this time goalkeeper Emil Audero made a good save. Sampdoria were awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute after Emre Can was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box and former Juventus forward Fabio Quagliarella made no mistake from 12-yards and made it 1-1, sending shot-stopper Mattia Perin the wrong way. The sides had chances at both ends of the pitch to go ahead but they were not clinical enough as they went to the break level pegging. Audero kept Marco Giampaolo's troops in the game six minutes after the break with a great save to deny Blaise Matuidi who unleased a volley after a mistake at the back. Bianconeri were also awarded a penalty in the 65th minute after Gian Marco Ferrari handled the ball inside the box, according to the VAR and Ronaldo stepped up to make it 2-1 from 12-yards and got his brace with a strike through the middle. Allegri was getting to a defensive mode as 20 minutes before time he sacrificed striker Mario Mandzukic and brought in defender Federico Bernardeschi. Bianconeri boss, Allegri added some pace with a substitution eight minutes before time as he withdrew Matuidi and brought in Douglas Costa. The hosts used their experience towards the end and managed the game to end 2018 on a high as they won 2-1.