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.