Goalkeeper Lewis Italiano has set his sights on an A-League debut after committing to Wellington Phoenix through to the end of the 2015/16 season. Italiano, who made his first team debut for Inglewood United as a teenager, put an injury-riddled first season with Wellington behind him last week by signing a new one-year contract with the New Zealand club.

The door for Italiano to come into first team reckoning will open when regular goalkeeper Glen Moss travels with the New Zealand national team during the coming season. “I have to make sure I am fit and ready to play well when Mossy is away,” he said. “I will be working hard to put pressure on him because that will bring out the best in both of us.”

Italiano had hoped to make his A-League debut last season but was denied that chance by injury. “It was really frustrating,” said Italiano, who joined Wellington from Victorian side Oakleigh Cannons. “I’d had a good season at Oakleigh and got the injury five minutes from the end of my last game. When I got over the ankle injury I damaged the tendons in my wrist and that basically finished my season.”

Coach Ernie Merrick made Italiano one of his first signings upon taking the reins last June, and the Wellington boss every confidence the shot-stopper has what it takes to make the grade. “We wouldn’t re-sign him if we didn’t think very highly of him,” Merrick said. “He’s been playing and training really well, he’s only 23 years old and we see him having a future here.”

Italiano got his first taste of senior football when he came on as a late substitute in July’s 2-1 friendly win over English club West Ham United. His night was made complete by a superb diving save which maintained his teams slender lead, and which will be remembered by Wellington fans for many a day. Now he hopes he will get more chances to show them what he can do week in week out.