Juventus memetik kemenangan comeback dramatis atas Chievo dalam laga debut Cristiano Ronaldo di Serie A Italia. Cristiano Ronaldo gagal menandai debutnya di Serie A Italia dengan gol, tetapi itu tak menghalangi Juventus merebut kemenangan dramatis atas tuan rumah Chievo Verona di Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Sabtu (18/8).
I Bianconeri membuka musim dengan poin sempurna setelah bangkit dari ketertinggalan 2-1 untuk menyegel keunggulan 3-2. Pemain pengganti Federico Bernardeschi jadi penentu lewat golnya pada menit ketiga injury time .
Atensi terpusat pada Ronaldo menyusul kepindahan sang megabintang Portugal ke Juventus dari Real Madrid di bursa transfer musim panas ini. Ia langsung turun sejak menit pertama sebagai ujung tombak didukung trio Juan Cuadrado, Paulo Dybala, serta Douglas Costa. Terkait
Mendominasi kompetisi lewat tujuh Scudetto dalam tujuh musim terakhir, tak heran Juventus menjadi favorit kuat meski berlaga di rumah lawan.
Optimisme semakin membubung seiring gol cepat Sami Khedira cuma 162 detik dari sepak mula. Kapten Giorgio Chiellini meneruskan umpan tendangan bebas Miralem Pjanic dan gelandang Jerman itu dengan mudah mencetak gol pembuka dari jarak dekat.
Ternyata laga tidak serta-merta berjalan mudah untuk Juventus. Meski menguasai alur serangan, Si Nyonya Tua malah kecolongan gol penyeimbang tujuh menit jelang istirahat oleh tandukan mantap Mariusz Stepinsk menyelesaikan assist Emanuele Giaccherini.
Giaccherini yang merupakan eks penggawa Juventus kemudian mengantar tuan rumah berbalik memimpin 2-1 menyentuh menit ke-56.
Pemain berpostur 167 cm itu menaklukkan Wojciech Szczesny dari titik putih setelah dirinya dilanggar Joao Cancelo di dalam kotak penalti. Atas dasar respek pada bekas klubnya, Giaccherini menolak merayakan gol ini.
Juventus makin menjadi-jadi menggempur pertahanan Chievo, dengan Ronaldo dibuat frustrasi oleh kegemilangan performa kiper Stefano Sorrentino. Tekanan Juve toh akhirnya membuahkan hasil seperempat jam mendekati akhir waktu normal.
Tendangan penjuru Bernardeschi disundul Leonardo Bonucci sebelum masuk ke gawang Chievo berkat defleksi Mattia Bani sehingga kedudukan menjadi sama kuat 2-2.
Setelahnya, upaya Ronaldo lagi-lagi mentah di hadapan Sorrentino mana kala eksekusi tembakan bebasnya dari sudut sempit diselamatkan sang kiper.
Muncul kontroversi pada lima menit terakhir menyusul kemelut di area penalti Chievo. Sundulan Mario Mandzukic, yang turun menggantikan Douglas Costa, telah melewati garis sebelum disapu pemain bertahan Chievo, namun Sorrentino pingsan menyusul tubrukan keras dengan Ronaldo. Wasit Fabrizio Pasqua memutuskan meninjau insiden tersebut lewat VAR dan membatalkan gol.
Pada akhirnya Juventus tak teradang menggondol kemenangan dari Bentegodi. Sorrentino terpaksa ditarik keluar dan digantikan kiper cadangan Andrea Seculin, yang harus memungut bola dari dalam gawangnya usai dibobol sontekan Bernardeschi di menit ketiga waktu tambahan. Artikel dilanjutkan di bawah ini
INDOSPORT.COM - Laga pembuka Serie A Italia musim 2018/2019 telah dibuka, dengan pertandingan perdana yang mempertemukan tuan rumah Chievo menjamu sang juara bertahan, Juventus , di Stadion Marc Antonio Bentegodi, Verona, Italia. pada pada Sabtu (18/08/18) malam pukul 23.00 WIB.
Pertandingan tersebut akan sangat dinanti oleh seluruh pecinta sepak bola di seluruh dunia, pasalnya laga tersebut akan menjadi debut pertama mega bintang Cristiano Ronaldo mengenakan seragam Si Nyonya Tua, dalam laga resmi.
Namun, Juventus harus mewaspadai pola permainan yang akan diperagakan oleh anak asuh Lorenzo D'ana, pasalnya Chievo akan tampil dengan dukungan puluhan ribu suporter yang akan datang langsung ke stadion.
Selain itu, Klub asal Verona itu sedang dalam trend positif lantaran berhasil menang 2-1 atas Pescara di Piala Coppa Italia, Minggu (12/08/18) lalu.
Juventus came from behind to snatch a dramatic 3-2 win at Chievo as Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for the Turin side on Saturday, although the Portugal captain was not among the scorers in his first Serie A match.
Ronaldo was thwarted several times the by veteran Chievo goalkeeper, Stefano Sorrentino, and his handball in the buildup led to a late Juventus goal being disallowed.
Sami Khedira put Juventus ahead after three minutes but the visitors were stunned when Mariusz Stepinski levelled seven minutes before the break.
Emanuele Giaccherini then converted a penalty against his former club to give Chievo a shock lead in the 56th minute – only for Chievo’s Mattia Bani, under pressure from the returning Leonardo Bonucci, to deflect a corner into his own net in the 75th minute.
Juventus had a goal disallowed for handball by Ronaldo but, in the next attack, Federico Bernardeschi turned the ball in to give the reigning champions a winning start.
Cristiano Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner
Cristiano Ronaldo made a winning start to his Juventus career as his new club came from behind to beat Chievo 3-2 in a dramatic start to the Serie A season.
Federico Bernardeschi scored a 93rd-minute winner, moments after Juve had a goal ruled out by VAR with Ronaldo at the centre of the incident.
The Portugal captain, a £99.2m signing from Real Madrid, handled the ball before colliding with Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino in the build-up to Mario Mandzukic's goal, which referee Fabrizio Pasqua ruled out on review.
Sami Khedira had put Juventus ahead from close range in the third minute, before Mariusz Stepinski headed in the equaliser.
Emanuele Giaccherini won and scored a penalty to put Chievo in front on 56 minutes, but a Mattia Bani own goal pegged them back before Bernardeschi struck late on.
Ronaldo forced several saves from 39-year-old Sorrentino, who left the match on a stretcher after his late collision with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
How did Ronaldo get on?
Ronaldo, 33, scored in his first game for the Old Lady - their traditional pre-season friendly against the Juventus B team.
That match was held in the small Italian town of Villar Perosa. Its population is 4,000 - but Ronaldo's appearance drew 5,000 fans.
His presence in Verona led to Chievo selling out their 39,000-seater Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, as they more than doubled their average attendance.
Speaking before the match, coach Massimiliano Allegri said he is yet to decide Ronaldo's best position in the team.
With Gonzalo Higuain on loan at AC Milan, the former Manchester United forward started up front on his own against Chievo, with Paulo Dybala in the number 10 role and Douglas Costa and Juan Cuadrado on the wings.
His first chance came in the 19th minute, when he dragged a shot wide from 20 yards. Ten minutes later he tried to volley a left-foot shot across goal from a tight angle.
Ronaldo grew into the game after the break and made his intent clear with a fierce dipping shot from distance that forced Sorrentino into action. He then directed a free header straight at the goalkeeper.
With the introduction of Mandzukic as a central striker in the 64th minute, Ronaldo moved out to the left.
He seemed more effective cutting in on his right foot, and his best chance came when forced a diving one-handed save from Sorrentino with a curling shot.
A last-ditch tackle by Fabrizio Cacciatore deflected another Ronaldo shot onto the roof of the net, before Sorrentino saved a trademark free-kick.
More to follow.
