Federico Bernardeschi scored in stoppage time to make Cristiano Ronaldo a winner on his Juventus debut as the champions rallied for a 3-2 win at Chievo Verona on Saturday.
Ronaldo may have been kept out of the scoresheet in his first game in Serie A, but his teammates did just enough to earn three points to open the season.
Sami Khedira’s early goal for Juve was erased by Mariusz Stepinski in the first half, and Emanuele Giaccherini converted a penalty to put the hosts ahead before Mattia Bani’s own goal allowed the visitors to equalise and Bernardeschi found a 93rd-minute winner.
Juventus had lead inside three minutes as Miralem Pjanic’s free kick into the box found Giorgio Chiellini, who nodded the ball back for Khedira to slot in the opener.
The visitors had a penalty shout soon afterward when Douglas Costa chased down a long ball and fed Joao Cancelo, who could not keep a shot on target while under pressure.
Ronaldo took aim at goal for the first time in the 18th minute, dragging his shot just wide of the post from 16 yards.
The seven-time defending champions appeared in control when Chievo netted a goal against the run of play seven minutes before half-time. Former Juventus winger Giaccherini put in a cross to Mariusz Stepinski who guided a free header past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
And the hosts took a shock lead 10 minutes after the break when Cancelo made a late challenge in the box on the driving Giaccherini, and the former Juventus winger converted the penalty, though he declined to celebrate.
Ronaldo nearly pulled Juventus level in the 66th minute when he spun away from three defenders and curled a shot toward the far post, but Chievo keeper Stefano Sorrentino did well to dive to his left and paw the attempt aside.
The equalizing goal did eventually come on 75 minutes after Leonardo Bonucci, making his return to Juventus after a year away, got his head to Federico Bernardeschi’s corner, and the ball deflected off Bani for an own goal.
Juventus then thought they had their winner in the 86th minute when Mandzukic headed the ball down across the goal line, and though it was cleared by Fabrizio Cacciatore, goal-line technology showed it cross the line.
However, goalkeeper Sorrentino was injured while colliding with Ronaldo in the build-up, and the play went to a video review that eventually ruled out the goal for a foul.
But scarcely a minute after play resumed, substitute Bernardeschi got a toe to a low cross to direct the ball past Sorrentino’s replacement Andrea Seculin for the decisive goal.
