In the 2004–05 season he scored 21 goals, sharing with Gheorghe Bucur the top-goalscorer of Divizia A title, forming a couple in Dinamo's offence with Ionel Dănciulescu, the Romanian press calling them the "N&D couple", a nickname inspired from the first letters of their family name and the Romanian pop band "N&D". Niculescu started the following season by scoring the final goal of the 3–2 victory against rivals Steaua București which helped the team earn for the first time in its history the Supercupa României, also Andone used him in the 2005–06 UEFA Cup campaign when the team eliminated Everton against whom he scored a goal in a historical 5–2 on aggregate, reaching the group stage where he defeated goalkeeper Fabien Barthez by scoring a goal from a 20 meters free kick in a 2–1 away loss in front of Olympique Marseille.
In the 2004–05 season, Niculescu scored 21 goals and tied for top scorer in Divizia A. They were nicknamed "N&D couple" by Romanian media due to their family names and a popular band named "N&D". In the following season, he scored the final goal against Steaua București, helping Dinamo win its first Supercupa României. During the 2005–06 UEFA Cup campaign, Andone used him when they defeated Everton with a 5-2 aggregate score, scoring from a free kick in a 2-1 away loss to Olympique Marseille.