Nigeria sealed their place in the Africa Cup of Nations final after brushing aside Mali with a convincing 4-1 victory in Durban on Wednesday.
The Super Eagles, who defeated favourites Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals, had victory all but secured before half-time after netting three times in the first period through Elderson Echiejile, Brown Ideye and an own goal by Mohamed Sissoko.
Nigeria then added a fourth goal on the hour mark through substitute Ahmed Musa to end any hopes of a second-half fightback from Mali, whose late consolation from replacement Cheick Diarra was nowhere near enough to prevent a second successive semi-final exit.
The result sees Nigeria progress through to their seventh African Cup of Nations final and first since 2000, while Mali's bid to repeat their 1972 appearance in the title match goes on.
Nigeria do not have a great record in those finals, winning just two of six, but they will go Sunday's encounter against either Burkina Faso or Ghana with confidence soaring after building on their triumph over Ivory Coast with an impressive display at a rain-swept Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Mali, who knocked out hosts South Africa in the last eight, looked threatening early on but Nigeria gradually gained the upper hand and had already gone close a couple of times before Echiejile put them ahead in the 25th minute.
Chelsea playmaker Victor Moses did well down the right to create space and his cross into the middle found the unmarked Echiejile at the far post, and he stooped to head home from close range.
It was 2-0 five minutes later when Emmanuel Emenike's cross from the right was bundled home at the near post by Ideye, and a fantastic first period for Nigeria was completed in the 44th minute when Stephen Keshi's men added a third goal.
Ideye played a short free-kick to Emenike whose grasscutter looked set to be blocked by the wall, only for it to take a huge deflection off Sissoko and leave Mamadou Samassa in the Mali goal helpless.
Mali made two changes at the beginning of the second half in a bid to change the tide, but it was Nigeria's substitution that made the next telling contribution as Musa was sent racing clear from the halfway line before slotting through Samassa's legs to make it 4-0.
Diarra slotted home Cheick Diabate's cut-back to reduce the deficit but it was Nigeria who were left to celebrate at the full-time whistle.
The Dark Blue youths fought back from a goal down against their hosts in Korinthos to level through Celtic striker Tony Watt's second-half penalty.
The result will be used as a stepping stone, as the Scots now aim to bounce back from their failure to qualify for this year's finals in Israel by reaching the next tournament, which will be staged in the Czech Republic in two years' time.
The team have been drawn against Holland for the second qualifying campaign running and will also have to overcome Luxembourg, Slovakia and Georgia when their Group Three bid begins next month.
Stark handed debuts to Partick Thistle midfielder Stuart Bannigan and Hearts teenager Callum Tapping, with Stuart Armstrong of Dundee United taking on the captain's armband.
And the Scots almost got off to a flying start as first Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Rhys McCabe was denied just five minutes in by Greek goalkeeper Andreas Gianniotis, while Fraser Kerr failed to bury a header soon after.
The visitors were made to pay for those misses when they fell behind after 13 minutes as the Greeks struck first in front of a 4,000-strong crowd.
FC Amkar Perm striker Nikos Karelis got himself in between Falkirk defender Kieran Duffie and Motherwell youth Kerr at the back post to head the home side in front from Everton forward Apostolos Vellios' cross.
Despite their early dominance, Greece failed to add to their lead as keeper Chris Kettings twice saved from Vellios to leave the deficit at just one goal at the break.
But with 13 minutes of the second period gone, Watt struck his fourth goal in six games for the Under-21s with his spot-kick success.
Kilmarnock teenager Rory McKenzie had been bundled over in the area by Charalambos Lykogiannis and Watt made no mistake from 12 yards as he sent substitute keeper Stefanos Kapino the wrong way.
And yet the hosts still had chances to win it, only to miss four decent opportunities in the space of eight minutes.
First Costas Triandafillopoulos put a header wide from 12 yards just after the hour mark, before Kettings parried again from Giannis Gianniotas and then Panagiotis Ballas.
Then on 69 minutes, Dimitris Kolovos put another strike straight into the keeper's arms as the Blackpool man kept the Greeks at bay almost by himself.
A final chance fell for the home side with five minutes left after Gianniotas had skipped past four challenges, but the Aris forward put his shot wide from 10 yards out.
The 19-year-old Millwall striker scored twice before the break, firing his side ahead after 10 minutes and then increasing their advantage eight minutes before half-time.
Wolves midfielder Anthony Forde completed the job when he converted a 57th-minute penalty to cap a second successive victory for Noel King's side, who ended the qualifying campaign for the 2013 European Championships with a 4-2 win in Italy in September last year.
The Republic got off to a shaky start, with keeper Aaron McCarey having to keep out a miscued third-minute header by team-mate Derrick Williams before Dutch skipper Alex Schalk hit the post with a deflected shot.
But O'Brien set them on their way when he tapped home from Forde's cross after it eluded the entire Netherlands defence.
The teenager might have claimed a second with 22 minutes gone, but dragged his shot wide.
However, he did not have to wait long to extend Ireland's lead, turning home Everton defender Shane Duffy's flick-on from a Forde free-kick.
O'Brien hobbled off 11 minutes after the restart after falling awkwardly as he challenged for a high ball, but the game was effectively over seconds later when Forde was fouled by Stefano Denswil and picked himself up to convert the resulting penalty.
Substitute keeper Sean McDermott had to make an important save at the death to deny Joel Veltman a consolation goal but Ireland were worthy winners over a Dutch side who qualified for this summer's Euro 2013 finals as group winners.
The victory will give King's men a massive boost in confidence as they prepare for the new qualifying campaign, which gets underway in the Faroe Islands in August.
The Macedonia international was sent off three minutes into the second half in the match at The Hawthorns for spitting towards Kyle Walker.
Popov apologised to fans via Twitter after the game, but has made a full apology.
The 28-year-old said in a statement released by the club: "I just want to say a big sorry to everyone, firstly to the gaffer because he was so angry after the game and, if I was in his place, I would be exactly the same, and to all the players."
"We played a good first half then at the start of the second half their player kicked the ball to the corner and I said something to him.
"We exchanged a couple of words but it wasn't something bad, just something that happens 10 to 15 times in a game.
"After that, when he started to run, he was maybe two or three yards away from me. I didn't have the intention to spit on him - but it looked like that.
"The referee was close to me and saw that. This is not good for me because over the last two or three nights I have not slept too good.
"Something like this has never happened in my life."
Popov also wants to put the record straight with Baggies fans, after becoming a popular figure at West Brom following his loan from Dynamo Kyiv last August.
His sending off was a pivotal moment in the 1-0 defeat, with Spurs springing to life in the second half after a drab first period.
"I've had a couple of good games, was man of the match and player of the month in December," Popov said.
"But I'm not happy with what I did on Sunday. When the referee sent me off it totally changed the game.
"The players were angry after the game, and some of them - the ones who have been a long time at this club - said to me they are disappointed in me.
"I want to say sorry to all my friends, team-mates, to all the physical staff and the coaching staff. Everyone can make mistakes, life is like this. Football is up and down.
"Tomorrow I want to have a meeting and I want to say sorry to everyone who works at this club.
"I don't want all the fans, players, trainers and staff to change their mind about me. I'm not that kind of player."
Popov also revealed he is trying to get in touch with England international Walker in a bid to say sorry in person following the incident.
Popov said: "I'm trying to get a phone number for Kyle Walker but he is now with his national team.
"When I get his number I will call him and just say 'I'm not a player like this, I didn't want to do this to him and a big sorry'.
"I wish good luck to Walker and England against Brazil."
