Shenzhen Kaisa FC fans rejoiced on Saturday, November 3 as they finally made it back into the Chinese Super League (CSL) after securing a second place finish on the last day of the season with a 5-0 win at home over Zhejiang Yiteng.
Shenzhen will join winners of the Chinese First Division, Wuhan Zall, as they move up to the top-flight next season. Meanwhile CSL side Guizhou Hengfeng will drop down to the first division, with the final relegation spot in that league yet to be decided with two games to go.
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Image via @LiuMichelle/Weibo
There’s much to be excited about for Shenzhen fans, as they get set to grace the premier division once more. Their last game in the CSL came seven years ago in 2011, when they were relegated after finishing bottom of the table with a disappointing five wins in their 30 games.
They will likely rest their hopes on players like Colombian striker Harold Preciado who scored 23 goals this season. They can also look to the experience of current manager Juan Ramon López Caro, whose list of former teams include Real Madrid and the Spain national U21 football team.
Screengrab via @深圳市足球俱乐部/Weibo
Their ascendance into the top flight will reignite an interesting rivalry with Guangdong neighbours Guangzhou R&F, who spent one season as Shenzhen Phoenix in 2011 before being bought by property development company Guangzhou R&F.
So, get your season tickets ready, and get hyped to head on down to Shenzhen Stadium next season to see Kaisa FC go up against some of the best teams in the country.
[Cover image via @LiuMichelle/Weibo]
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