Nigeria's get-out-of-jail 2-0 win over Benin has released the pressure created by not having scored in their opening two games, according to coach Berti Vogt.
Once the first goal went in, Vogts said, the tension disappeared and the team raised the level of their play which led them to a quarter-final against hosts Ghana on Sunday.
"We weren't playing against a team from Benin, we were playing against pressure," he told AFP.
"And when we scored the first goal you could see the smile return to the players' faces - and that's extremely important in football.
"After the goal you saw a different body language from the team, their movements were a lot better - long may it continue."
Despite Nigeria's' reputation as under achievers Vogts believes the pressure that has gone from his camp is now with Ghana.
"Sunday at five o'clock we'll be playing XI against XI. It's only a game, nothing more.
"Of course we'll be trying to win. you know the situation, we've come from a long way in this tournament and this time the pressure's on Ghana."
A constant issue in Nigeria's Cup campaign has been the speculation led by the Nigerian media of whether Vogts would resign.
He said he was tired of the story being raised and revealed that he will no longer be attending the post-match press conference.
"And no, I'm' not resigning," he added.
Reflecting on Nigeria's unimpressive opening two matches in Ghana the former Scotland boss said: "It wasn't that as a team our situation was bad, our problem was in the attack.
"We just couldn't score a goal. The other problem was the pressure placed on us by Nigerian journalists, who only spoke about winning the title.
"But Nigeria haven't won the Cup for 14 years, our team is very young, and we've been without some key players, Nwankwo Kanu for the first match, Obafemi Martins is also injured and John Utaka isn't in the best of form.
"That's a lot of problems, but we're still here and we'll soon find out what's in store for us."