Winning team rewarded with tractors and land

GUINEA’S President Lansana Conte has rewarded the national soccer team with gifts of two tractors and land to show his appreciation after they routed Botswana 4-0 to move to the top of their World Cup qualifying group.

"The president has decided to give the players special prizes, plots of land, and two tractors," Minister for Sports Fode Soumah told national television earlier this week.

The minister did not say why the players were given the two tractors, but Guineans speculated the gift fitted in with Conte's appeal to his countrymen to work the land, at a time when the population is facing rice shortages.