Zambian goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene is one of the best and confident goalkeepers to have ever played at the AFCON. The former Free State Stars and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper played in 6 AFCONs in a 17-year career for the Chipolopolo as he was a participant at the 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015 editions.
Mweene is well known for his penalty kicks and saves. In the 2012 AFCON semi-finals, Mweene saved Asamoah Gyan’s first-half penalty as Zambia triumphed 1-0 and qualified for the finals.
The battle was doubtful from the onset until they eliminated the much-fancied Black Stars of Ghana.
Against Ivory Coast in the finals, the game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes of action. Penalty kicks were needed to determine the champion. It was very emotional for Zambia as it was almost 2 decades anniversary since the plane crash in 1993 that wrecked Zambian football for the talented generation.
Kennedy Mweene proved to be a confident man as he scored Chipolopolo’s 5th penalty in the ten penalties they took. Zambia eventually won 9-8 on penalties and lifted the coveted trophy for the first time in their history as Mweene was voted for as the best keeper of the 2012 AFCON.
With 122 caps to his name making him the most capped Zambian footballer, Mweene proved his mettle in the 2013 AFCON when he scored from the spot kick in the 85th minute to level the score (1-1) against Nigeria in Nelspruit at the Mbombela Stadium in South Africa.
The goal was a historic one as it is the only goal that any goalkeeper has scored in the 33 editions of the AFCON. The legendary goalkeeper also saved two penalties in the 2013 AFCON.
