Cristiano Ronaldo Scoreless in Juventus' 2-0 Win over Lazio
Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating home debut for Juventus on Saturday, as he could not find the back of the net in a 2-0 win over Lazio.
Miralem Pjanic opened the scoring for the hosts on the half-hour mark. The midfielder struck a low shot from range past goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha.
Ronaldo did play a part in the second goal, as Mario Mandzukic made the game safe at the 75-minute mark.
Strakosha managed to get a touch on Joao Cancelo's cross from the right, but the ball took a deflection off Ronaldo and fell to Mandzukic, who fired into an empty net.
Ronaldo's Struggles Give Allegri Plenty to Think About
Ronaldo drew a blank on his Serie A debut last time out, and there was more frustration for the summer signing at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
Massimiliano Allegri made changes to his side for this one. Mandzukic and Federico Bernardeschi were brought into the attack, and Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa were demoted to the bench.
Yet it was a frustrating game for Ronaldo. He suffered from a lack of service and had few sights of goal, particularly in the first half.
Opta highlighted his lack of impact:
There were flickers from the Portuguese after the break. A typical run toward goal saw him bring out the stepovers and cross for Mandzukic, who made a mess of the chance.
A free-kick just outside the box offered another sight of goal for Ronaldo, but he could only blast his effort straight into the wall. Minutes later he headed a cross from Pjanic just over the bar.
His best chance of the game came on 70 minutes when he hit a great strike from the edge of the box. It looked destined for the back of the net until Strakosha tipped it over the crossbar.
Ronaldo did play a part in the goal but will feel he could have scored. He looked set to tap home Cancelo's cross, but the goalkeeper managed to just get a touch. It proved a vital intervention, as the ball then hit Ronaldo and sat up perfectly for Mandzukic to convert.
ESPN FC's Alex Shaw noted Ronaldo's reaction to the goal:
The 33-year-old has not had the start to his Juventus career that he will have wanted, and Allegri will need to think about how he can get the best out of his star man.
Ronaldo Production Only Missing Link for Dominant Juventus Squad
Ronaldo may not have opened his account for his new club, but the Serie A champions look in great shape already. They have taken six points from their opening two games, and Lazio caused them few problems.
Pjanic signed a new deal with the club on Tuesday and celebrated with a fine strike, which demonstrated once again his quality and importance to the team.
Bernardeschi also caught the eye with a strong performance. Football writer David Amoyal was impressed with the 24-year-old:
While Ronaldo could not find the back of the net, Mandzukic made sure of the points late on. Opta showed how Juventus also win in Serie A when the Croatian scores:
Allegri's side are already looking incredibly strong, and the concern for the rest of the league will be just how formidable they will be when Ronaldo starts scoring.
What's Next?
Juventus are back in action on Saturday as they head to Parma to take on the newly promoted side. Lazio play a day later as they welcome Frosinone to the Stadio Olimpico.
