Zambia reached its first African Cup of Nations semifinals in 16 years after a clinical 3-0 win over struggling 10-man Sudan on Saturday.
Defender Stophira Sunzu headed in from a free kick in the 15th minute and Christopher Katongo made it 2-0 in the 66th when he scored from the rebound after his penalty was saved.
Substitute James Chamanga sealed Zambia's dominance in the 86th with a curling shot from the edge of the area that went in off the post.
Sudan's hopes of an upset at a near-deserted Estadio de Bata slipped away when defender Saifeldin Ali Idris was sent off in the 65th for a reckless foul on Rainford Kalaba that led to Katongo's spot kick.
Zambia will play the winner of Sunday's Ghana-Tunisia game in the semis back in Bata on Wednesday.
Two-time finalist Zambia controlled the first quarterfinal throughout to make the last four for the first time since 1996. Sudan struggled in its biggest game in 42 years and first trip to the latter stages since it won the title in 1970.
The Sudanese had already been forced into two first-half substitutions because of injury before Ali Idris went for his second bookable offense 20 minutes into the second half.
Zambia could have won by an even bigger margin as Sudan goalkeeper Akram El Hadi Salem - who had a busy night - dived full length to his right to save a stoppage-time effort that appeared destined for the net.
Sunzu rose high at the near post to beat Akram for the opener after a free kick out wide from Isaac Chansa.
Katongo hit his right-footed penalty straight at Akram, who save it one-handed, but the Zambia captain followed up to poke home with his left foot for 2-0.
Chamanga's goal was the pick of the three as he controlled neatly and sent a curling right-footed effort toward the far corner that was too good for Akram.
Midfielder Katongo troubled the Sudan defense time and again and Akram was also lucky not to be punished when he thrust out a boot into the Zambian captain's midriff after another surge forward in the last 20.
Even with 11 men, Sudan struggled to match the Zambians in the first half in Bata, where the teams played out the first knockout match in front of just a tiny sprinkling of fans inside the 37,000-seat stadium. Swaths of empty red and blue seats stood out starkly.
Both sets of players and officials observed a minute's silence before kickoff in a mark of respect for the more than 70 people killed at a football riot in Egypt this week.
