• Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2ndL) eyes the ball being centred during the Italian Serie A football Match Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo. AFP
    Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2ndL) eyes the ball being centred during the Italian Serie A football Match Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo. AFP
  • Atalanta's Remo Freuler in action with Juventus' Douglas Costa REUTERS
    Atalanta's Remo Freuler in action with Juventus' Douglas Costa REUTERS
  • Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo in action with Atalanta's Gianluca Mancini and Matteo Pessina REUTERS
    Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo in action with Atalanta's Gianluca Mancini and Matteo Pessina REUTERS
  • Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo scores their second goal REUTERS
    Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo scores their second goal REUTERS
  • Hans Hateboer of Atalanta kicks a firework launched on the pitch during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
    Hans Hateboer of Atalanta kicks a firework launched on the pitch during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
  • Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Italian Serie A football Match Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo. AFP
    Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Italian Serie A football Match Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo. AFP
  • Juventus' coach Massimiliano Allegri reacts during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC vs Juventus FC at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo, Italy. EPA
    Juventus' coach Massimiliano Allegri reacts during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC vs Juventus FC at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo, Italy. EPA
  • Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC vs Juventus FC at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo, Italy. EPA
    Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC vs Juventus FC at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo, Italy. EPA
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores the equalizing goal (2-2) during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores the equalizing goal (2-2) during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
  • Douglas Costa (L) of Juventus is challenged by Timothy Castagne of Atalanta during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
    Douglas Costa (L) of Juventus is challenged by Timothy Castagne of Atalanta during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
  • Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo, third from left, scores his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Juventus in Bergamo, Italy. AP
    Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo, third from left, scores his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Juventus in Bergamo, Italy. AP
  • Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini reacts during the match REUTERS
    Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini reacts during the match REUTERS
  • Juventus' Alex Sandro in action with Atalanta's Josip Ilicic REUTERS
    Juventus' Alex Sandro in action with Atalanta's Josip Ilicic REUTERS
  • Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo (R) jubilates after scoring the goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC vs Juventus FC at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo, Italy. EPA
    Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo (R) jubilates after scoring the goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match Atalanta BC vs Juventus FC at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo, Italy. EPA
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus celebrates after scoring the equalizing goal (2-2) during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus celebrates after scoring the equalizing goal (2-2) during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
  • Rodrigo Bentancur of Juventus leaves the pitch after receiving a red card during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
    Rodrigo Bentancur of Juventus leaves the pitch after receiving a red card during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores the equalizing goal (2-2) during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores the equalizing goal (2-2) during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
  • Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal with Alex Sandro REUTERS
    Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal with Alex Sandro REUTERS
  • Juventus' Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur (L) and Atalanta's Croatian midfielder Mario Pasalic go for a header during the Italian Serie A football Match Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo. AFP
    Juventus' Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur (L) and Atalanta's Croatian midfielder Mario Pasalic go for a header during the Italian Serie A football Match Atalanta Bergamo vs Juventus at the Atleti Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo. AFP
  • Players of Juventus celebrate after Atalanta's own goal during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images
    Players of Juventus celebrate after Atalanta's own goal during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo, Italy. Getty Images

Substitute Cristiano Ronaldo saves 10-man Juve's unbeaten Serie A record - in pictures


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Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench to clinch a dramatic equaliser against Atalanta on Wednesday to preserve Juvetnus' unbeaten record in Serie A.

Juve, who dropped their first away points of the season, were down to 10 men when Ronaldo nodded home from close range in the 78th minute.

The perennial Italian champions almost snatched victory at the death when Leonardo Bonucci volleyed home from a free kick in stoppage time but it was ruled out for offside.

Juventus' record in Italy's top flight now stands at 16 wins and two draws from 18 games, giving them a lead of nine points over nearest challengers Napoli, who went down 1-0 to Inter Milan in an unsavoury game in which Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly was the subject of racist abuse at the San Siro.

"We knew we were in for a battle today. We did well to stay in the game after going down to 10 men," said Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri.

"We could have won it at the end but it's still a good result against an excellent side."

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Atalanta defender Berat Djimsiti miscued and sent an innocuous Alex Sandro cross into his own net to put Juventus ahead in the second minute before two goals from Duvan Zapata turned the game around.

The Colombian, scorer of Atalanta's last eight goals, collected Alejandro Gomez's pass with his back to goal and turned easily past Bonucci before firing a low shot past Wojciech Szczesny in the 24th minute.

Juventus midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 53rd minute and Zapata headed Atalanta in front from a corner three minutes later.

Ronaldo, left out of the starting line-up for a Serie A game for the first time since his move from Real Madrid, came to the rescue with his 12th league goal of the season.

A corner was floated to the far post, Mario Mandzukic headed it back into the middle and Ronaldo nodded home.

Allegri apologised for his angry reaction on the touchline to Bentancur's dismissal.

"I got a bit angry today and I'm sorry about that but we should be setting an example for the fans," he said. "If we want to improve things in Italy, we need to improve our football culture." (Reporting by Brian Homewood, editing by Ed Osmond and Pritha Sarkar)