Daniel Niculae

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Daniel George Niculae (born October 6, 1982 in Bucharest, Romania) is a football striker who currently plays for AJ Auxerre.

On 25 March 2008 he was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian Băsescu for the results on Qualifying to EURO 2008 and qualification to UEFA Euro 2008 Group C with Medalia "Meritul Sportiv" — (The Medal "The Sportive Merit") class III.

[edit] Club career

Daniel "Nico" Niculae started his professional career at Rapid Bucureşti in 2000. Despite a period playing for the B team in 2001, Nico proved he is one of most gifted players of the club, and helped his club to win the championship in the 2002-03 season - his first as a first-team regular.

Niculae was Rapid's leading scorer in the 2003-04 season, with 14 goals - the third highest total in Romania's Liga 1.

In the 2005-2006 UEFA Cup, he and Mugurel Buga formed one of the most powerful striker pairs of the competition, with Niculae scoring 8 goals, as Rapid reached the Quarter-Finals of the competition. The season also saw Rapid claim the 2006 Romanian Cup, with Niculae scoring the winning goal in the first minute of extra-time, against Naţional Bucureşti.

Niculae was transferred to French club AJ Auxerre in the summer of 2006, for 3.3 million Euros. His first season with the club saw him score 4 goals in the UEFA Cup, but he struggled for goals in Ligue 1. However, the following season his form improved, as he scored 11 goals to help keep the club in Ligue 1.

[edit] International career

Niculae won his first international cap for Romania in 2003, but did not become a regular squad member until the 2005-06 season.

He was selected for Romania's Euro 2008 squad, and started his country's first two matches. He came on as a substitute for their final group game against the Netherlands, but could not help Romania to a win, which would have taken the country into the Quarter-Finals.

Other than the fact that they share birthplace, he has no connection with namesake and fellow international Marius Niculae.

[edit] International goals

Scores and results table. Romania's goal tally first:

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	November 16, 2005	Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest, Romania	Nigeria	1-0	3-0	Friendly
2	May 26, 2006	Soldier Field, Chicago, United States	Northern Ireland	2-0	2-0	Friendly
3	November 21, 2007	Stadionul Lia Manoliu, Bucharest, Romania	Albania	3-0	6-1	UEFA Euro 2008 Qual.
4	November 21, 2007	Stadionul Lia Manoliu	Albania	3-0	6-1	UEFA Euro 2008 Qual.
5	March 26, 2008	Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest, Romania	Russia	2-0	3-0	Friendly

Romanian football portal

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