Liu Yang achieved a breakthrough at Shandong Taishan Football Club on Tuesday, making her the first female Chinese player to play in the top tier of Chinese professional football.

The 25-year-old forward made her debut for Shandong Taishan against Shanghai SIPG in the China League One match on Tuesday. She scored twice in the second half as Shandong Taishan won 4-1 and took their lead to six points from four matches.

"This is a big step forward for me," Liu said after the match. "I'm very happy to be able to play at this level."

Liu has been training hard with Shandong Taishan since she was just 18 years old, and her hard work finally paid off when she was called up to the senior team last year.

"I've always dreamed of playing in the Chinese Super League," Liu said. "This is a huge achievement for me and I hope to continue to improve and contribute to my team."

Shandong Taishan have been one of the most successful teams in Chinese football over the past few years, winning the league title five times in the last eight seasons. They were also runners-up in the AFC Champions League last season, losing out to Guangzhou Evergrande in the final.

Liu's breakthrough comes at a time when women's football in China is growing in popularity. The country's women's national team has qualified for the World Cup for the first time ever, and there are now more than 600 clubs across the country that offer female football.

However, there is still a long way to go before women's football in China is fully accepted and respected by society. There are still many barriers to overcome, including unequal pay, discrimination and lack of opportunities.

But for Liu and other young female players like her, it's all worth it if they can break down those barriers and make a difference in the sport they love. And who knows? With hard work and determination, Liu could go on to achieve even greater things in the future.

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