RABAT, Morocco — A Moroccan court Thursday sentenced 19 soccer fans to up to a year in prison on charges of hooliganism stemming from a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal that saw supporters try to storm the field.

After a hearing that lasted more than five hours, the presiding judge ruled that the fans — 18 Senegalese and a French national — were guilty of more than half a dozen charges, including damaging sporting facilities and committing violence during a sporting event.

Eleven people were sentenced to one year in prison and handed a $550 fine. Four were sentenced to six months and given a $218 fine. The remaining four were sentenced to three months and a $130 fine, lawyer Naima El Guellaf told The Associated Press.

One defendant fainted upon hearing the sentences. Others refused to rise from the defendants’ bench when ordered to enter the small door leading to the holding cells. Family members, visibly shaken, insisted their relatives were innocent.

Attorneys said they plan to appeal the decision that they view as severe.

The defendants were arrested last month when outraged supporters tried to storm the pitch to protest a late penalty awarded to host Morocco during the final, which Senegal eventually won 1-0. They were held in custody for more than a month awaiting judgment.

During Thursday’s hearing, attended by Senegalese and French diplomats as well as relatives of several defendants, attorneys argued that the court lacked sufficient grounds to convict their clients.

The public prosecutor sought the maximum penalties against the fans, arguing that they had disrupted the orderly conduct of the match. He added that the damage was estimated at more than $476,719.

Morocco has long grappled with episodes of soccer-related hooliganism, and courts in the North African nation routinely handle cases tied to such incidents. However, this case was unusual as it involved only foreign nationals.

The sentences marked the latest development stemming from a final that prompted senior officials in both countries to urge peace and fraternity amid social media tensions and a surge in what Moroccan rights groups described as “hate speech.”

Last month, CAF, the African soccer body, issued $1 million in fines and bans against Senegal and Morocco over the tumultuous game. Morocco announced it plans to appeal the decision, seeing the sanctions as disproportionate to the incidents.

The game was marred by Senegalese players walking off the pitch protesting a penalty awarded to Morocco in stoppage time. Outraged Senegalese supporters threw chairs onto the field and battled with stewards before police arrived.

The match and its outcome prompted senior officials in both countries to reinforce diplomatic and economic ties they described as “strong and historic,” seeking to prevent the game from straining bilateral relations.

The Iowa athletic department apologized Wednesday for a security breach that allowed an individual to interfere in the coaches’ and players’ handshake line and approach Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg.

Videos posted online show the individual coming out of the stands as fans rushed the court after the Hawkeyes’ win over the ninth-ranked Cornhuskers. The person appears to heckle and point his camera phone at Hoiberg, who made a swiping motion at the phone with his right hand.

Hoiberg’s hand appeared to inadvertently strike an Iowa staff member who was going through the line. Hoiberg reached back to grab the staff member’s arm and pointed to the individual who had come toward him with the camera.

“The University of Iowa Athletics Department implemented its court‑intrusion guidelines following last evening’s Iowa vs. Nebraska men’s basketball game,” Iowa’s athletic department said in a statement. “Unfortunately, an individual gained access to the court through a restricted area, directly confronting Coach Hoiberg and putting Nebraska players, coaches, and staff in a reactive situation.

“We apologize for this incident and will conduct a review of our procedures and security measures to determine what adjustments may be needed to further strengthen our protocols and help prevent similar incidents in the future.”

The Big Ten said it discussed the situation with both schools and would take no disciplinary action against Hoiberg. The conference said it appreciates Iowa’s efforts to address postgame security protocols.

Nebraska athletics and Hoiberg declined to comment.

Iowa won the game 57-52. Nebraska has lost four of its past six after a 20-0 start.

CHENNAI: Afghanistan concluded their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 journey with a 82-run victory over Canada in their last group match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.

Set to chase a daunting 201-run target, Canada’s batting unit could yield 118/8 in 20 overs despite a valiant 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Harsh Thaker and Saad Bin Zafar.

Thaker remained the top-scorer with a brisk 30 off 24 deliveries, while Saad made an anchoring 28 off 26 deliveries.

Besides them, only openers Yuvraj Samra (17), captain Dilpreet Bajwa (13) and middle-order batter Nicholas Kirton (10) could amass double figures against the disciplined Afghanistan bowling attack, led by experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, who bagged four wickets for just seven runs in his four overs.

Nabi was supported by skipper Rashid Khan, who picked up two wickets, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with one scalp apiece.

Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa’s decision to field first backfired as Zadran-led Afghanistan batting unit piled up 200/4 in their 20 overs.

Afghanistan got off to a decent start to their innings, with their opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Zadran putting together 47 runs inside the batting powerplay until Jaskaran Singh got rid of the former on the third delivery of the sixth over.

Jaskaran struck again in the same over, dismissing Gulbadin Naib for one, and reduced Afghanistan further to 49/2 at the powerplay mark.

Following the back-to-back blows, Sediqullah Atal joined Zadran in the middle, and the duo put Afghanistan into a commanding position by knitting a 95-run partnership for the third wicket.

The crucial stand eventually culminated in the 16th over when Atal fell victim to Jaskaran and walked back after scoring 44 off 32 deliveries with the help of two sixes and as many fours.

Zadran was then involved in a brief 32-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Azmatullah Omarzai, who was dismissed by Dilon Heyliger in the penultimate over after making a seven-ball 13.

The right-handed opener then shared a one-sided 25-run partnership with Darwish Rasooli (four not out) and ensured breaching the 200-run barrier for Afghanistan with an unbeaten 95 off just 56 deliveries, studded with seven fours and five sixes.

For his monumental knock, Zadran was adjudged the Player of the Match.

Jaskaran remained the leading wicket-taker for Canada with three scalps, but was expensive as he conceded 52 runs in his four overs, while Heyliger struck once.