Wellington playmaker Daniel is confident the Phoenix can back up last Sunday’s big win over Gold Coast United and take the three points from its Hyundai A-League match against Sydney as well.
The Brazilian bagged a double in the 6-0 hammering dished out at Westpac Stadium as Wellington ended its record run of six consecutive draws with an emphatic performance against United.
“It was fantastic to score two goals and the team played well and scored six times which is unbelievable,” he said.
“I think we’ve played well the last four or five matches but we only drew. Now we’ve won and we want to continue that and get the three points all the time.”
“Of course, getting the six goals was good but the most important thing is the three points.”
The win lifted the New Zealand side to seventh on the table with a game in hand and also ended a poor run of scoring form which had gleaned just nine goals in 10 games prior to Sunday’s match.
Daniel is now backing the team to push on from that performance, even suggesting Wellington could go all the way to the title.
“We play Sydney and then have two matches after that (against Newcastle midweek and Perth the following Sunday),” he said.
“If we can get seven points or nine points (from those three games) then we definitely stay in the top six and we can win this league.”
Daniel burst onto the Hyundai A-League scene with an impressive first season during Wellington’s inaugural campaign in 2007/08.
But he found himself on the bench for much of last season before turning that around following the 2-0 loss to Sydney in round four in August this year.
Since then he has started every game bar one and the strong partnership he and Tony Lochhead developed down the left flank in that first season has been rekindled.
“That’s something we’ve been working on,” said Lochhead. “Obviously he didn’t play so much last year so we’re trying to get that relationship back.”
“It seems to be going pretty well right now. He’s putting a few goals away and I’m trying to get forward a bit more.”
Although Daniel only bagged his first goals of the year in last weekend’s win, he has been causing problems and creating chances with some good quality balls into the box.
“Last season I respected Ricki’s decision to put me on the bench,” he said. “I didn’t play a lot of matches last season. Now I’m playing all the time and it’s good.”
“All players here want to start. It’s difficult. We have a good group and I’m no different.”
“I’m happy I want to score goals, assist, but the most important thing is that Wellington Phoenix win the games.”
“It doesn’t matter who scores – Chris (Greenacre), me Leo (Bertos) – we are a group and we have to get into the top six.”
