体坛英语新闻： Asante Kotoko wins Ghana's premier league

ACCRA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Kumasi Asante Kotoko has won Ghana's 2012/2013 premier league for the second consecutive time.

Kotoko defeated Amidaus Professionals by a lone goal through Prince Baffoe in the 70th minute at the Tema Sports Stadium on Sunday to seal their 22nd league title, the highest by any team in the West African country.

Kotoko finished three points clear after close challengers, Berekum Chelsea lost 2-1 to Heart of Lions in Kpando on the final day of the Glo Premier League' s campaign.

By their win, Asante Kotoko will represent Ghana in next year's Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League while Berekum Chelsea who placed second will play in the Confederation Cup.

"It is very exciting winning the GLO Premier league for the second time," said highly elated striker Kofi Nti-Boakye after the match.

Kotoko is also gunning for the Football Association (FA) Cup and will play Tarkwa-based Medeama SC in the grand finale of the competition at the Accra Sports Stadium next month.

"We are happy to win the league. But for now we are preparing to win also the FA Cup in July," head coach of the club, Masuud Didi Draman, said.

Kotoko is one of the biggest and most successful professional football clubs in Ghana as well as being one of the more successful teams in Africa, having won 22 national league titles.

They have also twice won the CAF African Cup of Champions (now Champions League) in 1970 and 1983.

The club was adjudged Africa' s best club of the 20th century in 2009 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, an international organization recognized by world football governing body, FIFA.