EL-HADJI Diouf is confident Wanderers are in the driving seat in their UEFA Cup duel with Plovdiv.

The Senegal star played a key role in Thursday nights' first leg fightback and believes the 2-1 lead is a significant, if slim, advantage to take into the second leg on September 29.

Diouf says Wanderers will need a better performance in Burgas if they are to reach the group stage of the competition, but was in upbeat mood after heading a superb 72nd minute equaliser before Jared Borgetti struck the injury-time winner.

"It was a great moment for me, for the team and the fans, and very important for us," he said.

"We know playing away will be hard, so it was important to win this game.

"But I'm not happy with myself and the team because we didn't play well in the first half, and we will need to improve in the second leg if we are to finish them off.

"In the first half we were waiting all the time for something to happen, but then in the second half we decided to go out and play football and go forward.

"This is the UEFA Cup, and in this competition you don't think about anything but pushing forward and scoring a lot of goals."

Diouf is in a hurry to bank goals in the first half of the season before he has an enforced break from the Premiership to compete in the African Nations Cup.

"I want to score a lot of goals this season because in January and February I go to the African Nations Cup," he said. "So I want to give my best before then.

"I won't be happy leaving Bolton at that time and for so long because the club is in my heart, but the national team and the African Nations Cup is very important."

He knows it will be difficult for the Whites to challenge on the domestic and European fronts.

He added: "It will be hard playing every Sunday and Thursday, but with this team we always give our best, and I feel we have a strong squad to cope.

"This team is not Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United, but every game we will give everything."