Bonucci brace from spot fires Juve to win at Lazio
Italy defender Bonucci smashed home almost identical spot-kicks in each half at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome to move Juve sixth, level on 21 points with fifth-placed Lazio.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side are now four points from the Champions League positions, with Atalanta occupying fourth following their 5-2 thumping of Spezia earlier on Saturday.
Bonucci opened the scoring with his second league goal of the season with 22 minutes gone, rifling a shot into the top corner past Pepe Reina after Danilo Cataldi was punished for a silly challenge on Alvaro Morata following a VAR check.
Bonucci could have doubled the away side’s lead almost straight after the break when he beat Reina to the ball after a Manuel Locatelli corner but could not find the net.
He made no mistake from the spot with seven minutes remaining however, lashing home into the same corner after Federico Chiesa was chopped down in the box by Reina — the Lazio goalkeeper having come charging out of his box to try to stop the rampaging Italy forward.
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Moise Kean was unlucky not to make the scoreline even more emphatic late on after Reina twice in two minutes had to keep out decent efforts from the substitute.