{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox football match | title = 19 May Incident<br>五一九事件 | image = | event = [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC first round]] | team1 = [[China national football team|China PR]] | team1association = {{Flagicon|CHN|size=30px}} | team1score = 1 | team2 = [[Hong Kong national football team|Hong Kong]] | team2association = {{Flagicon|HKG|1959|size=30px}} | team2score = 2 | details = Hong Kong qualifies for the final round of qualification. | date = 19 May 1985 | stadium = [[Workers' Stadium (1959)|Workers' Stadium]] | city = [[Beijing]] | referee = [[Melvyn D'Souza]] ([[All India Football Federation|India]]) | attendance = 80,000 | weather = }} '''China v Hong Kong''' was a [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|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 immortalised as the '''19 May Incident''' or '''5.19 incident''' ({{zh|c=五一九事件}}).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/10/5-19-incident-chinas-doomed-attempt-qualify-mexico86/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204172630/https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/10/5-19-incident-chinas-doomed-attempt-qualify-mexico86/|title=The 5.19 incident: China's doomed attempt to qualify for Mexico '86|url-status=dead|date=2017-10-05|archive-date=2017-12-04|work=wildeastfootball.net}}</ref>
Needing a victory to advance, Hong Kong achieved a stunning 2–1 win to eliminate heavily-favoured China, 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. After the loss, disgruntled home fans rioted in the [[Workers' Stadium (1959)|Workers' Stadium]] and the [[People's Armed Police]] were needed to restore order. Due to the high stakes, the match was one of the most notable in the [[China–Hong Kong football rivalry|rivalry]] between the [[China national football team|China]] and [[Hong Kong national football team|Hong Kong]] national football teams.
==Background== {{Expand section|date=July 2011}}
China were the runners-up of the [[1984 AFC Asian Cup]] and expected to be by far the strongest team in its [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification]] [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC first round#Group 3|AFC Zone B first round group]].
China and Hong Kong had met earlier in the tournament, playing out a scoreless draw in Hong Kong.
They entered the final match tied on points; however, China held the advantage in goal differential due to larger margins of victory over the group's other two teams, [[Brunei national football team|Brunei]] and [[Macau national football team|Macau]].
Thus, in order to advance to the next round, Hong Kong would need an unlikely away win in the Chinese capital.
===Table before the match=== {{see also|1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)}} After 12 May 1985, the group 4A table was as follows:
{| class="wikitable" |- !Legend |-bgcolor=#ffcccc |Cannot qualify |}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%" |- !width=30|# !width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} |- |'''1''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|CHN}} |5||4||1||0||22||0||+22||'''9''' |- |'''2''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|HKG|1959}} |5||4||1||0||17||1||+16||'''9''' |-bgcolor=#ffcccc |'''3''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|MAC|colonial}} |6||2||0||4||4||15||−11||'''4''' |-bgcolor=#ffcccc |'''4''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BRU}} |6||0||0||6||2||29||−27||'''0''' |}
''China qualifies for second round with win or draw.''
''Hong Kong qualifies for second round with win only.''
==Match==
===Summary=== The Chinese team began the game on the offensive, determined to achieve a win rather than a draw. However, Hong Kong scored the first goal in the 19th minute, when during a free kick, [[Wu Kwok Hung]] backheeled the ball to [[Cheung Chi Tak]], who shot and scored from well outside the penalty area.
China equalized twelve minutes later, when [[Li Hui (footballer)|Li Hui]] scored off a rebound from Hong Kong's goalkeeper. In the second half, the Chinese players went on the attack again, and in doing so allowed more chances for Hong Kong to score. This culminated in Hong Kong's second goal, when [[Ku Kam Fai]] scored at the 60 minute mark. China took several shots over the game's final half-hour but we unable to score, resulting in a 2–1 victory for Hong Kong.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://supchina.com/2020/08/26/when-hong-kong-football-sparked-a-riot-in-beijing/|title = The 'May 19 Incident': When Hong Kong football sparked a riot in Beijing| work=SupChina |date = 26 August 2020 | last1=Legge | first1=James }}</ref>
===Details=== {{Football box |date = 19 May 1985 |time = [[Time in China|CST]] [[UTC+08:00|UTC+8]] |team1 = {{Fb-rt|CHN}} |score = 1–2 |team2 = {{Fb|HKG|1959}} |goals1 = [[Li Hui (footballer)|Li Hui]] {{goal|31}} |goals2= [[Cheung Chi Tak]] {{goal|19}}<br>[[Ku Kam Fai]] {{goal|60}} |stadium = [[Workers' Stadium (1959)|Workers' Stadium]], [[Beijing]] |attendance = 80,000 |referee = [[Melvyn D'Souza]] ([[All India Football Federation|India]]) }}
{| width=92% | |- |{{Football kit |pattern_la = _shoulder_stripes_red_stripes |pattern_b = _shoulder_stripes_red_stripes |pattern_ra = _shoulder_stripes_red_stripes |pattern_sh = _adidasred |pattern_so = _color_3_stripes_red |leftarm = FFFFFF |body = FFFFFF |rightarm = FFFFFF |shorts = FFFFFF |socks = FFFFFF |title = China PR }} |{{Football kit |pattern_la = _whiteshoulders |pattern_b = _whiteshoulders |pattern_ra = _whiteshoulders |pattern_sh = _hkg86h |pattern_so = _band_white |leftarm = FF0000 |body = FF0000 |rightarm = FF0000 |shorts = FFFFFF |socks = FF0000 |title = Hong Kong }} |} {| width="100%" |valign="top" width="50%"| {| style="font-size: 95%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width="25"| !!width="25"| |- |GK ||''' ''' ||[[Lu Jianren]] |- |RB ||''' ''' ||[[Zhu Bo]] |- |CB ||''' ''' ||[[Jia Xiuquan]] |- |CB ||''' ''' ||[[Lin Lefeng]] |- |LB ||''' ''' ||[[Lü Hongxiang]] |- |CM ||''' ''' ||[[Lin Qiang (footballer)|Lin Qiang]] |- |CM ||''' ''' ||[[Yang Zhaohui (footballer, born 1962)|Yang Zhaohui]] |- |CM ||''' ''' ||[[Wang Huiliang]] || || {{suboff|70}} |- |RF ||'''7''' ||[[Gu Guangming]] |- |CF ||'''10'''||[[Li Hui (footballer)|Li Hui]] || {{yel|64}} |- |LF ||''' '''||[[Zuo Shusheng]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]]) || || {{suboff|38}} |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutions:''' |- |FW ||''' '''||[[Li Huayun]] || || {{subon|38}} |- |FW ||''' '''||[[Zhao Dayu]] || || {{subon|70}} |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=3|[[Zeng Xuelin]] |} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| {| style="font-size: 95%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- |GK ||''' ''' ||[[Chan Wan Ngok]] |- |SW ||'''2''' ||[[Leung Sui Wing]] ([[Captain (association football)|c]]) |- |CB ||''' ''' ||[[Lai Law Kau]] |- |CB ||'''19'''||[[Ku Kam Fai]] |- |RWB ||'''14'''||[[Cheung Chi Tak]] |- |LWB ||''' ''' ||[[Yu Kwok Sum]] || {{yel|21}} |- |RM ||''' ''' ||[[Lau Wing Yip]] |- |CM ||''' ''' ||[[Wong Kwok On]] |- |CM ||'''13'''||[[Wu Kwok Hung]] |- |LM ||''' ''' ||[[Chan Fat Chi]] || || {{suboff|73}} |- |CF ||''' ''' ||[[Wan Chi Keung]] || || {{suboff|85}} |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutions:''' |- |DF ||''' ''' ||[[Tam Yu Wah]] || || {{subon|73}} |- |DF ||''' ''' ||[[Philip Reis (footballer)|Philip Reis]] || || {{subon|85}} |- |colspan=3|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=3|[[Kwok Ka Ming]] |} |}
==Aftermath==
===Result=== {| class="wikitable" |- !Legend |-bgcolor=#5eff5e |Qualified directly for the next round |}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%" |- !width=30|# !width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{tooltip|Pts|Points}} !width=20|{{tooltip|Pld|Matches played}} !width=20|{{tooltip|W|Matches won}} !width=20|{{tooltip|D|Matches drawn}} !width=20|{{tooltip|L|Matches lost}} !width=20|{{tooltip|GF|Goals for}} !width=20|{{tooltip|GA|Goals against}} !width=20|{{tooltip|GD|Goal difference}} |-bgcolor=#5eff5e |'''1''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|HKG|1959}} |'''11'''||6||5||1||0||19||2||+17 |- |'''2''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|CHN}} |'''9'''||6||4||1||1||23||2||+21 |- |'''3''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|MAC|colonial}} |'''4'''||6||2||0||4||4||15||−11 |- |'''4''' |style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|BRU}} |'''0'''||6||0||0||6||2||29||−27 |}
''Hong Kong advances to Zone B Second Round.''
In the AFC Zone B Second Round (AFC semifinals), Hong Kong faced another heavy favorite in a two-legged matchup with [[Japan national football team|Japan]]. They quickly allowed two goals in the first leg in Japan, eventually falling 3–0.
They performed better in the second leg at home, but missed a penalty and lost 2–1. Japan advanced to the Zone B Final Round, 5–1 on [[aggregate score]].
{{footballbox_collapsible |date = 11 August 1985 |report=|team1 = {{fb-rt|JPN|1870}} |score = 3–0 |team2 = {{fb|HKG|1959}} |goals1 = Hara {{goal|9|pen.}} <br> Kimura {{goal|11}} <br> Mizunuma {{goal|53}} |location = [[Kobe, Hyogo|Kobe]], Japan |referee = Gurkan ([[Philippine Football Federation|Philippines]]) |nobars = 1 }} {{footballbox_collapsible |date = 22 September 1985 |team1 = {{fb-rt|HKG|1959}} |score = 1–2 |team2 = {{fb|JPN|1870}} |goals1 = [[Wan Chi Keung]] {{goal|80}} |goals2 = Kimura {{goal|45}} <br> Hara {{goal|89}} |location = Hong Kong |referee = Lee Kok Leong ([[Football Association of Singapore|Singapore]]) |nobars = 1 }}
For China, the result represented another frustrating setback in their quest to qualify for their first [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup finals]].
In the qualifying tournament for the [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982 edition]], they had lost to [[New Zealand men's national football team|New Zealand]] by the same score in a [[1982 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)|winner-take-all match]] to qualify for the World Cup Finals. It would not be until [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]] that China would finally qualify for their first FIFA World Cup.
===Hooliganism incident=== This match also led to "the first incident of football hooliganism in the history of the People's Republic of China".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.ifeng.com/sports/gnzq/detail_2010_10/13/2772754_9.shtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712064959/http://news.ifeng.com/sports/gnzq/detail_2010_10/13/2772754_9.shtml|title=中国十大球迷冲突:京豫球迷暴力狂? 5·19震惊世界|url-status=dead|date=2010-10-13|archive-date=2012-07-12|work=[[Ifeng.com]]}}</ref>
While Hong Kong's team received a hero's welcome upon their return, disgruntled mainlanders rioted in and around [[Workers' Stadium (1959)|Workers' Stadium]] after the match. The [[People's Armed Police]] were called to restore order, leading to 127 arrests.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://sports.sina.com.cn/n/2005-05-19/ba1568730.shtml |title=《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 |work=sports.sina.com.cn |year=2011 |access-date=25 August 2011}}</ref>
[[Zeng Xuelin]], manager of the Chinese national team, and [[Li Fenglou]], chairman of the [[Chinese Football Association]], both resigned.
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Portal|1980s}} * {{in lang|zh}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20090416213406/http://news.xinhuanet.com/sports/2007-12/03/content_7191802.htm 资料：中国足球“519惨案”] * [http://teamchina.freehostia.com/en/match.php?date=1985-05-19 Database]
{{1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers}} {{China national football team}} {{Hong Kong national football team}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:China v Hong Kong football match}} [[Category:China national football team matches]] [[Category:Hong Kong national football team matches]] [[Category:1984–85 in Hong Kong football]] [[Category:1985 in Chinese men's football]] [[Category:Riots and civil disorder in China]] [[Category:Association football riots]] [[Category:Association football hooliganism]] [[Category:Association football controversies]] [[Category:1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)]] [[Category:FIFA World Cup qualification matches]] [[Category:Hong Kong–Mainland China conflict]] [[Category:May 1985 sports events in China]] [[Category:Nicknamed sporting events|1985]] [[Category:Football matches in China]] [[Category:Football in Beijing]] [[Category:1985 in Beijing]] [[Category:Men's international association football matches in Asia]]