Date 19 May 1985 Attendance 80,000 | Referee Melvyn D'Souza (India) | |
Event 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC First Round Venue Workers Stadium, Beijing | ||
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). Due to this controversy, the match rates as one of the most notable matches in the rivalry of the China PR national football team and the Hong Kong national football team.
Contents
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
After 12 May 1985, the group 3 table was the follow:
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.
Result
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.
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 "the first football hooliganism ever in the People's Republic of China's history". 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. Zeng Xuelin, manager of the Chinese national team, and Li Fenglou, chairman of the Chinese Football Association, both resigned after the incident.