The under achieving Hebei China Fortune FC was held to a 1-1 draw by underdog squad Chongqing Dangdai Lifan FC in a 2017 Chinese Super League season round two affair on Saturday at the Chongqing Olympic Sports Center.

Local midfielder Che Shiwei scored the opening goal for Hebei China Fortune right at the sixth minute of the match as he directed teammate Ding Haifeng's assist towards the back of Chongqing keeper Deng Xiaofei's net. Xinhua reported that Che, 20, became the first under-23 Chinese footballer to score a goal this season since the new rules were implemented.

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The Chinese Football Association required all CSL teams to at least field in one under-23 local player as a part of their starting XI beginning this term. The country's football governing body also reduced the limit of foreign players simultaneously playing on the field to only three from four previously.

Chongqing was able to find the equalizer in the 32nd minute with a strike from Brazilian forward Alan Kardec off a cross by compatriot Fernandinho. Both teams failed to score again until the final whistle to settle for a point each.

The two teams remained tied on the league table currently with two points each after beginning their respective campaigns with two drawn matches.

The Samba Kings, currently coached by former Real Madrid and Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini, is yet to win a match this year as they began this season's China top-flight competitions with two straight winless performances.

Hebei settled for a goalless tie with Henan Jianye during their season-opener at the Zhengzhou Hanghai Stadium on March 5 prior to this stalemate with Chongqing. Before that, the team was also winless in five preseason matches with two draws and three losses.

"Overall we played how we wanted and improved significantly from the first game," Pellegrini said after the match. "We tried very hard to push the ball into their half and had a lot of desire to win the game. If this is our fighting spirit and performance in away games, our home games will be definitely better. We had three more chances, but unfortunately, we missed them."

"But I'm very satisfied with my team today and quite confident for the upcoming games," he added.

TagsChinese Super League, Chinese Super League 2017, 2017 Chinese Super League, Hebei China Fortune FC, Chongqing Dangdai Lifan FC