GOALKEEPER Mwenya Chibwe says filling legendary keeper Kennedy Mweene’s gloves at the national team is no easy task.

Zambia has struggled to replace Mweene, the Africa Cup Nations winner who monopolised the first choice position in the past.

Chibwe said in an interview yesterday that every keeper that is called to the national team seeks to emulate Mweene and do better for the nation.

“For everyone who comes to the national team their goal is…I mean you cannot fill the legendary [Mweene’s] gloves the goal is to do better with him [Mweene] guiding us so for filling his shoes well, it is way too big shoes to fill,” he said.

Chibwe will battle for a starting place against Toaster Nsabata and Gregory Sanjase for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ivory Coast and Comoros.

The South African-based keeper said competition is healthy in the team.

“There is always competition at the national team level, what you need to do is to push the other guy, push whoever is playing, we push each other everyday,” he said.

He said the team must play to get maximum points.

Meanwhile, striker Fashion Sakala said Zambia’s next two games are important.

“These games are important especially the first one, we just have to have confidence and believe, we need to win. This is the time we have to play AfCON, we don’t have excuses to give if we fail. We have to believe and this is the right time to do,” said Sakala.

Zambia will play Ivory Coast on June 3 before a home tie against Comoros four days later.