Australia's Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has a special imperative to make ambitious young Italo-Australian goalkeeper Adam Federici his second-in-line behind Mark Schwarzer - he scores goals as well as stops them.

While most keepers daydream of one day getting on the scoresheet, Federici does it regularly at training for Championship promotion-chasers Reading.

And he did it for real in a match that mattered to rescue a dramatic point for the side looking to bounce straight back to the Premiership come May in the Boxing Day 1-1 draw with Cardiff City.

The injury-time strike from a corner was greeted with disbelief by everybody outside the Reading camp.

But a nonchalant Federici, who received a text message from Verbeek congratulating him on his little piece of history, took it all in his stride.

"I love scoring goals. I play out on the pitch at training with Reading and I get the odd one there, so the boys are used to me scoring.

"Obviously it was something a bit out of the ordinary but I can't say it came as a total surprise to me.

"My phone has been inundated with text messages ever since and one of them was from Pim, who told me he liked goalkeepers whop score goals.That's fine by me!

"It was fantastic - hopefully I'll get that experience again one day."

Standing in with some aplomb for injured number one Marcus Hahnemann in recent matches for the Royals, understudy turned main man Federici's moment for the archives came when he rose off the deck to stab home after a Michael Duberry header had been cleared off the line.

"I just went up there to try and cause a bit of confusion and make my presence felt because we had nothing to lose at that point," he added.

"It was a nice moment but my priority is to save them at the other end. I'm just happy the way things have been going since I returned to the club (from a loan spell at Southend)."

Federici is hoping to keep Hahnemann in the shadows on a long-term basis, adding: "I just have to keep doing well and I'm sure I'll get my rewards.

"I always back myself; it's just a matter of getting a chance to show what you can do and now I'm getting that opportunity. The team are doing well but there are no guarantees in the Championship where you can lose to anybody on a given day.

"That said, we're in a really great position."

The 23-year-old keeper is also positioning himself as the natural successor to 36-year-old Schwarzer, whose other underlings Michael Petkovic (32) and Ante Covic (33) are hardly in the first flush of youth.

He has yet to make his senior debut but has been involved in several Socceroos camps - and says he is ready to step in whenever Verbeek unlocks the door.

"My aim is to show Pim that I can be a serious contender for the No.2 spot and then the No.1 rather than just a spare wheel at training," he added.

"It's always great to be involved to any degree with the national team but you have to have ambitions.

"I must be patient though because Mark Schwarzer has been exceptional this season.

"He's had a ridiculous amount of clean sheets at Fulham but he's getting on a bit and if he were to get injured I'd love the chance to step in."

While unlikely to be considered for this month's Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia with Verbeek looking at an A-League based line-up, Federici could get a call for the World Cup qualifier against Japan on February 11 in Yokohama.

Like most Euroroos he faces club versus country issues, explaining: "It might be some difficulties with my club in terms of travelling long distances midweek, especially being so close to promotion.

"But playing for Australia is playing for Australia and how could you ever say 'no'," explained the keeper who caught the eye with several stand-out performances for the Olyroos in Beijing.

Federici knows he is not the finished article but is pleased with the progress he has made this season.

"I've been working hard on my game. I'm a shot-stopper but I like to think my distribution is quite handy too. I like to try and turn defence into attack whenever I can."

SBS - theworldgame.com.au