XI'AN, Oct. 13 -- Under 41,838 fans' witnesses, Chang'an Athletic FC of Shaanxi had a goalless draw with team Shenzhen on Saturday.
The team of Shaanxi progressed to the Semifinal of the year's China's third division football league on away goals after their clash with Shenzhen finished 2-2 on aggregate, being just a foot away from Chinese second division league.
Shaanxi once had its own proud professional team, Shaanxi National Power from 1996 to 2005. The team grabbed the trophy of China's second division league in 2000. But the team was disqualified from the Chinese Football Association in 2004, and was disbanded in 2005 due to malicious non-payment of wages.
Chang'an Athletic was established in 2016, and threw Shaanxi fans into a frenzy when the team topped in the 13th China's National Games men's football event (cities group) last year.
Chang'an Athletic will face Nantong on October 20 in the first round of the two-leg semifinal series. According to the rules, both finalists of Chinese third division football league will secure their spots in the next season's Chinese Football Association China League.
What's more, the third placed team of the third division league and the team who stand in 14th place in the year's China League will compete for the other 2019 China League ticket.
According to the overall plan of Shaanxi football reform and development unveiled in 2017, the province plans to have a local Chinese Super League side by 2020.