1985 China v Hong Kong football match

China v Hong Kong was a 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification match played on 19 May 1985, noteworthy in that the surprise result caused deep dissatisfaction and hooliganism among Mainland Chinese football fans, leading to the match being immortalized as the May 19 Incident or 5.19 incident (Chinese: 五一九事件).[1] Due to this controversy, the match rates as one of the most notable matches in the rivalry of the China national football team and the Hong Kong national football team.

19 May Incident
五一九事件
Event1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC First Round
China PR Hong Kong
1 2
Hong Kong qualifies for the final round of qualification.
Date19 May 1985
VenueWorkers' Stadium, Beijing
RefereeMelvyn D'Souza (India)
Attendance80,000

The game resulted in a 2–1 win to Hong Kong, with goals from Cheung Chi Tak in the 19th minute and Ku Kam Fai in the 60th minute. Indian referee Melvyn D'Souza officiated the match, which was described by commentators at the time as being played in an unusually intense (for an Asian World Cup qualifier) manner. Disgruntled home fans rioted in Workers' Stadium after the match, and People's Armed Police were needed to restore order.

Background

China were the runners-up of the 1984 AFC Asian Cup and was by far the strongest team in its 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification AFC Zone B first round group. China and Hong Kong had already met earlier in the tournament, playing out a scoreless draw in Hong Kong. Heading into the final match, however, China was the leader of the group.

Table before the match
See also: 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)

After 12 May 1985, the group 4A table was as follows:

Legend
Cannot qualify
# Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  China PR 5410220+229
2  Hong Kong 5410171+169
3  Macau 6204415−114
4  Brunei 6006229−270

If China at least draws with Hong Kong then China will qualify for next round.

If Hong Kong wins against China then Hong Kong will qualify for next round.

Match

Summary

Under the glare of the floodlights at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing, the noise of 80,000 fans, the Chinese team began with a determination to achieve a needed win rather than a draw, to finally qualify with a dominant fashion. However, while China's Li Hui, Gu Guangming and Zuo Shusheng had yet to score a goal, the Chinese suffered a surprising blow in 19' when Wu Kwok Hung rolled the ball stealthily behind his back into the path of defender Cheung Chi Tak, who later scudded the ball bypass the Chinese goalkeeper Lu Jianren making it 1–0. Undeterred from the thunderous strike of Cheung, China increased pressure, they equalized in 31' with Li Hui scored due to Chan Wan Ngok's goalkeeping error. However, after the first half, the Chinese mistake once again appeared when Chinese players, being overconfidence, boasted attacking and ignored defending, allowing the Hong Kong side to playout a deadly response, which Ku Kam Fai restored parity for Hong Kong. Chinese team was enraged and scrambled for an equalizer, but it never came as Hong Kong left the stadium with a historic achievement.[2]

Details
China PR 1–2 Hong Kong
Li Hui  31' Cheung Chi Tak  19'
Ku Kam Fai  60'
Workers Stadium, Beijing
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Melvyn J. Victor D'Souza (India)
China PR
Hong Kong
CHINA PR:
GK1Lu Jianren
RB2Zhu Bo
CB4Jia Xiuquan
CB3Lin Lefeng
LB2Lü Hongxiang
RM10Lin Qiang
CM6Li Hui 64'
LM8Wang Huiliang 70'
RF11Gu Guangming
CF9Yang Zhaohui
LF7Zuo Shusheng (c) 38'
Substitutions:
FW Li Huajun 38'
MF Zhao Dayu 70'
Manager:
Zeng Xuelin
HONG KONG:
GK Chan Wan Ngok
RB Cheung Chi Tak
CB Leung Sui Wing (c)
CB Lai Lo Kau
LB Yu Kwok Sum 21'
RM Wong Kwok On
CM Ku Kam Fai
CM Wu Kwok Hung
LM Chan Fat Chi 73'
SS Lau Wing Yip
CF Wan Chi Keung 85'
Substitutions:
DF Tam Yu Wah 73'
DF Philip Reis 85'
Manager:
Kwok Ka Ming

Aftermath

Result
Legend
Qualified directly for the next round
# Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Hong Kong 116510192+17
2  China PR 96411232+21
3  Macau 46204415−11
4  Brunei 06006229−27

Hong Kong qualifies for the next round after the dramatic upset victory where they would fall to the Japan national football team 5 – 1 in a two legged home and away matchup.

11 August 1985 Japan  3–0  Hong Kong Kobe, Japan
Hara
Kimura
Mizunuma 		Referee: Gurkan (Philippines)
22 September 1985 Hong Kong  1–2  Japan Hong Kong
Wang Chi-Keung  80' Kimura  45'
Hara  89'		 Referee: Lee Kok Leong (Singapore)

Japan advanced to the Zone B Final Round, 5–1 on aggregate score.

For China, the result represented another frustration in their quest to qualify for their first FIFA World Cup; They had lost to the New Zealand national football team by the same score in the deciding playoff match of the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification. It would not be until the 2002 FIFA World Cup that China would finally qualify for their first FIFA World Cup.

Hooliganism incident

This match also led to "the first football hooliganism ever in the People's Republic of China's history".[3] Disgruntled home fans rioted in Workers Stadium after the match, and People's Armed Police were needed to restore order. 127 people were arrested in Beijing.[4] Zeng Xuelin, manager of the Chinese national team, and Li Fenglou, chairman of the Chinese Football Association, both resigned after the incident.

References
  1. "The 5.19 incident: China's doomed attempt to qualify for Mexico'86". wildeastfootball.net. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017.
  2. https://supchina.com/2020/08/26/when-hong-kong-football-sparked-a-riot-in-beijing/
  3. "中国十大球迷冲突:京豫球迷暴力狂? 5·19震惊世界". Ifeng.com. 13 October 2010. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
  4. "《足球之夜》特别节目：5.19 一个时代的缩影(9)_国内足坛-国家队_NIKE新浪竞技风暴_新浪网". sports.sina.com.cn. 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
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