Timpano was once regarded as one of Australia’s hottest young stars but for the last two frustrating years he has been rocked by injury after injury that stalled his career.

But the 22-year-old, who captained Australia at U17, U20 and U23 (Olyroos) level, finally made a successful return from injury in Sydney FC’s 3-0 loss to Houston Dynamo.

He played 20 minutes off the bench, pulled up well and will once again come off the bench tomorrow when Sydney FC faces LA Galaxy in the 3rd/4th playoff of the Pan Pacific Championship in Hawaii.

While the rest of his team mates are coming to the end of a long and arduous season that started with the 2006 AFC Asian Champions League and will finish in Hawaii tomorrow, Timpano was re-energised after making his comeback.

“It was great,” Timpano said as the team went to the Banzai Pipeline to watch a surfing contest. “It has been a long time since I played a game and it was good to get out there in a competitive match against a decent team.

“I got 20 minutes and I felt quite good and comfortable out there and I pulled up quite good so hopefully I can get more game time."

He added: “At times it was hard sitting around watching the boys play while you’re in the treatment room.

"It does get tough mentally and there are some barriers you have to get over and at times you do think ‘why am I doing all this’ but when you get back on the park like I did you look back and think it was all worth it.”

Timpano’s return has also ignited the fire inside his belly to get back into the Australian Olympic team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in August.

“I was part of the squad early on in the preparations and I haven’t been in for the last 18 months because of injury," he said.

"But I think I’m good enough to be in the squad if I get my body right and my fitness up and hopefully I can do that.

“It would be a dream to go to the Olympics.”

* We will be covering the Sydney rematch with LA Galaxy LIVE, minute by minute from Hawaii, immedaitely before the Grand Final kick-off. Sydney's match starts at 3pm on Sunday, Sydney time.