The Copper Queens were outspoken in the buildup, with reigning African Player of the Year Barbra Banda promising goals against the Super Falcons, while her teammates made similarly bold predictions.
However, Justine Madugu’s side had other plans, putting five past Nora Hauptle’s team at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca to book their place in the semi-finals.
In her post-match remarks, the former Atletico Madrid star did not hold back after the emphatic result, revealing that she and her teammates were fueled by the perceived disrespect in the buildup to the clash.
"To be honest, these are the kind of games we love to play, because before the game we were really underrated," Ajibade told the media.
"There was so much hype about the Zambian side. Those moments when they underrate us were those moments that we tried to step up.
"Their (boastful) words also inspired us a lot. Football is played with the feet, not with the mouth. So, it's all about showing what we can do and the world has seen it. We just want to keep playing one game at a time until the end.
"Also, our game plan basically was to focus on ourselves and work on the team structure. Focus on our game plan and just do what we need to do to win the game."
Besides moving closer to their goal of a tenth African title, Ajibade reflected on what the win meant for her team and how they found motivation despite a slow start in Morocco.
"It shows every effort that we're putting in every day (is paying off)," she continued.
"Every day we try to push ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally. To be honest, there's a lot happening behind the scenes but we don't allow that to stop us because for us, this is what we love to do.
"This is our job, this is not just doing it for ourselves, but doing it for the young girls who aspire to become professional footballers someday.
"We know that this is a responsibility way bigger than us and we are taking it with every honour. We have to be mentally focused and keep going all the time."
Nigeria will face either South Africa or Senegal for a spot in the final, aiming for a record-extending tenth title. The former Robo FC star understands the high stakes, even after maintaining a clean sheet through four matches so far.
Ajibade added: "It's honestly not easy to play without conceding a goal from the start of this tournament. We started very slow and we kept growing as the game progressed.
"We have to keep working hard, keep the focus high, keep the energy high in the team, and ensure we're giving our best every game.
"It's about teamwork. When the tournament started, we were 100% focused on the group stage. Now it's all about giving 120% as a team.
"Playing with four clean sheets in a prestigious tournament like this is honestly not easy. We must commend the whole technical staff. I must commend the whole team, from our defence to the goalkeeper, to everybody in the team for a job well done.
"We want to keep making history for ourselves as players because we want to set a standard for those coming behind us."
