Holders Zimbabwe will play hosts Zambia in Saturday's final of the Cosafa Cup after success for both in Wednesday's semi-finals at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola.
Zimbabwe, who have already won a record four Cosafa Cup titles, completed their success over Lesotho in 90 minutes, coming from behind to win 2-1 but the Zambians needed a post-match shootout to book their place.
They beat South Africa 5-3 on penalties after a goalless draw in the second of the day's semi-finals.
Zambia converted all their kicks but Lerato Chabangu had his effort saved, leaving South Africa to play Lesotho in the third place play-off on Saturday.
Zambia and South Africa played at a furious pace for much of the game which went two hours without a goal.
Zambia dominated possession and the corner count was 13-3 in their favour but Bafana Bafana twice struck the woodwork and might have snuck a victory inside regulation time.
Their beat chance fell on the hour mark when the ball cannoned on to the upright from a corner and Ruziagh Gamaldien, with the goal at his mercy, skyed the resultant follow up over the top.
South Africa substitute Lerato Chabangu then also hit the upright in the 81st minute while Zambian replacement Alex Ntonga rattled the crossbar four minutes later at the other end.
Zimbabwe got an early fright when Lesotho took the lead in just the fourth minute with Thapelo Tale providing some enterprising running on the right before a square pass was neatly tucked away by Motlalepla Mofolo.
But hopes of yet another upset for Dikwena, who eliminated Angola in the quarter-finals, faded fairly quickly when Tendai Ndoro conjured up an equaliser reminiscent of the style of Denis Bergkamp.
Ndoro had his back to goal as a cross came in from the right in the 15th minute. He pushed the ball away from the attendant defender and then swivelled to get his foot onto it and score from a tight angle past the bemused Basotho goalkeeper.
Ndoro then took just 10 more minutes to score what turned out the winner, reacting quickest to a cross and snatching at the ball as the Lesotho centre backs floundered.
The Zimbabwe striker might have completed his hat trick in the second half but his two-goal effort was good enough to win him the Man of the Match award.
“We can play better, the only good thing about our game was that we got the two goals,” said Zimbabwe's coach Klaus-Dieter Pagels afterwards.
Lesotho's coach Leslie Notsi blamed the fatigue of five matches in 10 days for his side's defeat but was still full of praise for their efforts.
“It was a lapse of concentration and fatigue that saw us lose. After we conceded the equaliser we lost composure but in the second half we really put on a good show and I am proud of my boys,” he insisted.
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