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ROME. — Cristiano Ronaldo converted a first-half penalty as leaders Juventus resumed their Italian Serie A football campaign with a 2-0 win at Bologna on Monday night, lifting some of the pressure off coach Maurizio Sarri.

Ronaldo overtook Rui Costa to become the leading Portuguese scorer in Serie A history on Monday.

Ronaldo slotted a first-half penalty down the middle in Juve’s 2-0 win over Bologna, a result that saw the Bianconeri move four points clear at the top of the table.

The goal was Ronaldo’s 22nd in Serie A this season, one more than the 21 he managed in his debut campaign in Turin following his move from Real Madrid in 2018.

In reaching 43 goals, the 35-year-old also moved beyond Rui Costa as the Portuguese player with the most goals in Italy’s top flight.

Rui Costa spent eight years in Serie A, playing for Fiorentina and then Milan between 1994 and 2006.

Former Manchester United star Ronaldo remains the top Portuguese scorer in Premier League history having scored 84 times in 196 appearances.

He is the also the leading Portuguese scorer in La Liga history having registered 311 goals in 292 appearances for Real Madrid, where he is the all-time leading scorer.

Only Ronaldo’s great personal rival Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has scored more La Liga goals.

Ronaldo has been criticised recently after missing a penalty against Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-final and struggling to have an impact in the final versus Napoli. — AFP.