Juventus 3 Frosinone 0: Ronaldo rounds off routine romp

Juventus picked up its 21st win from 24 league games this season to move 14 points clear of Napoli, which plays on Sunday.

Published : Feb 16, 2019 08:22 IST

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring against Frosinone.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring against Frosinone.
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Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring against Frosinone.

Juventus took another step towards an eighth Serie A title in a row with a routine 3-0 win over Frosinone on Friday.

A spectacular early goal from Paulo Dybala set Massimiliano Allegri's side on its way at Allianz Stadium, before Leonardo Bonucci and Cristiano Ronaldo made the three points secure.

Juve was able to withdraw Ronaldo and Giorgio Chiellini in the second half, with its attentions now turning to the first leg of its Champions League last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

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The host needed only six minutes to break the deadlock, Dybala sending a stunning left-foot strike flying into the top-right corner from 25 yards out.

It was 2-0 only 11 minutes later, with Bonucci prodding the ball in from on the line after Marco Sportiello had reacted well to save Mario Mandzukic's diving header from a corner.

Juve rather eased off and allowed Frosinone to threaten, and Camillo Ciano sent a curling free-kick inches over the bar with the last kick of the first half.

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Any fears of a possible comeback from the visitor were dispelled after 62 minutes, though, when Ronaldo swept home Mandzukic's low cross from the right before being taken off for extra rest ahead of his return to Spain.

A fourth goal eluded it, with Federico Bernardeschi's stinging strike beaten away by Sportiello, but Juve will head to the Wanda Metropolitano in confident mood.

What does it mean? Juve stays unbeaten with Atleti warm-up

Scoring so early meant Juve looked unlikely to be in for a shock, and so it proved. It is now 21 wins and no defeats from 24 league games this season.

Aside from moving 14 points clear at the top of the table, what will probably please Allegri most is that his players got through largely unscathed ahead of the showdown with Atletico next week, although Mandzukic did hurt his wrist.

Frosinone stays two points from safety and continues to look in real trouble.

Mandzukic a typical menace

His header allowed Bonucci to score the second and he set up Ronaldo for the third with a precise cross, but Mandzukic was generally an annoyance to the Frosinone defence, even with his wrist in a bandage.

Ciofani cast adrift

Frosinone had only managed one shot on target against Juve in Serie A history before Friday's meeting. Daniel Ciofani managed another, but it was one of just 13 touches of the ball in a tough 58-minute outing.

Key Opta Facts:

- Juventus has collected 66 points in Serie A this season, a joint-record for a team at this stage of the competition, considering three points per win.

- Cristiano Ronaldo has both scored and provided an assist for three consecutive league games for the second time in his career in the top five European leagues (the first with Real Madrid in November 2014).

- Leonardo Bonucci is one of only five defenders to score at least two goals in each of the last six seasons in the top five European Leagues, with Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Gerard Pique and Laurent Koscielny.

- Ronaldo has delivered the joint-most assists in Serie A current season (eight).

- Paulo Dybala has scored his first goal with a shot from outside the box in Serie A since March 2018 (versus AC Milan).

What's next?

Juve heads to Atletico on Wednesday, after which it travels to Bologna for Serie A duties next Sunday. Frosinone hosts Roma the day before.

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