Ronaldo's goal helps Juventus beat 10-man AC Milan 1-0 to claim Italian Super Cup
- Douglas Costa and Hakan Calhanoglu came closest to opening the score for Juventus and AC Milan in the first stanza
- Milan's Patrick Cutrone came close to score the opener after the break but his effort hit the crossbar
- Cristiano Ronaldo netted the only goal with a glancing header off a Miralem Pjanic cross before Milan's Franck Kessie was sent off
Cristiano Ronaldo's second half was all Juventus needed to claim the Italian Super Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 win over 10-man AC Milan on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.
The encounter saw Ronaldo’s headed goal turned the table in favour of Juventus after finishing twice as runners-up in the previous attempts.
READ ALSO: Man City rule out move for Real Madrid midfielder Isco this January
A performance that saw Ronaldo claim his first silverware with the Bianconeri since his switch last summer as Juve lifted the Super Cup for the first time since 2015.
Right from the start of the game the Serie A champions showed their intention with Douglas Costa testing AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma before another attempt from Joao Cancelo missed target all in the first stanza.
Frenchman Blaise Matuidi scored a goal in the 30th minute but the referee ruled the effort offside.
With three minutes to the end of the first 45 minute Ronaldo had his scissor kick hit the turf before heading towards the net only kiss the crossbar.
READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng
AC Milan had their own chance to take the lead before the break with a fierce strike from Hakan Calhanoglu but Wojciech Szczesny was spot on to save.
Moments after the resumption of the second stanza Milan's Patrick Cutrone failed to score despite beating Szczesny his shot.
However, in the 60th Ronaldo headed in a Miralem Pjanic's cross into the net for opener.
Paulo Dybala netted a spectacular second goal off a Matuidi assist but it was ruled offside again.
Gonzalo Higuain was brought in by AC Milan but in the 73rd minute Franck Kessie saw red for a rough tackle on Emre Can after VAR review.
The Rossoneri had a late appeal for penalty after Can fouled Andrea Conti in the penalty area but the referee waved play on.
PAY ATTENTION: Become a member of the leading sports Facebook group 'Naija Football Fan Zone'
At the blast of the final whistle the scoreboard read Juventus 1-0 AC Milan as Ronaldo claimed his first trophy in Italian football.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Juventus beat Bologna 2-0 win away from home to move into the next round of the Coppa Italia.
Max Allegri fielded a seemingly weak squad with Cristiano Ronaldo and likes kept on the bench for the encounter.
But that did not matter as Juve took the lead as early as the seventh minute as Federico Bernardeschi pounced on a defensive error by the home side to slot into an empty net to make it 1-0.
NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better.
Football Transfers That Shocked The World | Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
