Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, the second goal a contentious penalty, to give Juventus a 2-1 Serie A win over Sampdoria, who had a stoppage-time equaliser chalked off following a long VAR review.

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Riccardo Saponara thought he had earned Sampdoria a point when he curled a delightful shot past Mattia Perin. But after a delay of nearly three minutes the referee, Paolo Valeri, ruled there had been an offside in the buildup.

It was one of three VAR decisions in a game when Sampdoria’s 35-year-old forward Fabio Quagliarella scored for the ninth Serie A game in a row, the first player to do so since David Trezeguet in 2005.

Juve have reached the season’s halfway mark with 53 points out of a possible 57, a Serie A record for a 20-team championship. They lead Napoli, who beat Bologna 3-2, by nine points. Third-placed Internazionale won 1-0 at Empoli and are on 39.

Sampdoria’s coach, Marco Giampaolo, described Juve’s penalty, awarded for handball by Alex Ferrari, as absurd. “The penalty given to Juventus was a present,” he said. “We can talk about this until the day after tomorrow but you can’t give a penalty like that, otherwise every Sunday will turn into a mess; that handball decision was absurd.“

Ronaldo gave Juventus the lead after two minutes by collecting Paulo Dybala’s pass and cutting inside to score with a low shot. Quagliarella, formerly of Juve, levelled in the 33rd minute from a penalty awarded after the ball hit the back of Emre Can’s outstretched arm as he jumped for it.

Juve’s winner also came from a handball although the ball only brushed Ferrari’s arm. Valeri pointed to the spot but Ronaldo had to wait more than two minutes to take his kick while the incident was reviewed on the pitchside monitor. Ronaldo’s 14 goals makes him Serie A’s top scorer.

Juventus’s coach, Massimiliano Allegri, said he believed his side needed 37 more points from their remaining 19 games to make sure of an eighth successive title. “VAR is an important instrument,” he said. “There were two penalties, both awarded with the use of VAR; one confirmed and one under a review. Looking at it that way, it was either both or neither. In Italy, we create too many controversies.”

Inter needed a second-half goal from Keita Baldé to earn a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Empoli.

The Spanish-born Senegalese international met Sime Vrsaljko’s low cross with a first-time shot on the turn in the 72nd minute for Inter’s third 1-0 win in their last four league matches.