After nine-and-a-half months on the sidelines with an anterior cruciate ligament injury she suffered in last season's Women's FA Cup semi-final, Fowler came on as a substitute in the 75th minute of City's fabulous 5-1 victory over champions Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
She was left beaming as she made her return with her side coasting at 5-1. City's two superstars Vivianne Miedema and Khadija Shaw, who'd both scored earlier in the game, both embraced with the 22-year-old on the touchline as they were replaced in the 76th minute.
The home crowd also rose as one to celebrate on what proved a landmark day, with City handing the ailing champions one of their worst ever WSL defeats. It felt like a changing-of-the-guard moment, with Chelsea now looking sure to be dethroned after six successive titles.
Fowler, inevitably, had to shake off some rustiness during her cameo but slotted in to her centre forward role comfortably enough as City eased to a win that puts them 11 points clear of neighbours Manchester United and 12 clear of Chelsea.
The visitors brought Fowler's Matildas captain Sam Kerr on early in the second half but she proved largely ineffective with Chelsea already 3-0 down and being outclassed.
Their only consolation came from an Alyssa Thompson strike when they were 4-0 down.
The great news for Australia's Women's Asian Cup hopes is that both their key attacking threats should now be back in harness for the home tournament that begins on March 1 with a fixture against Philippines in Perth.
Star of the day proved to be City's Brazilian international Kerolin, who'd netted a superb hat-trick by the 54th minute.
Her second goal was the pick of the three as she ran nearly the length of the pitch, bursting away from midfielder Keira Walsh and chipping England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton expertly as she homed in on goal.
Elsewhere in the WSL, Lisa Naalsund scored a second-half double as Manchester United beat Liverpool 3-1, while Clare Hunt's Tottenham moved one point off the top three after coming from behind to beat Katrina Gorry's struggling West Ham 2-1.
Brighton lost 2-1 at home to London City Lionesses on an emotional day at the club. They were overseen again by assistant manager Chris Roberts in the absence of their Australian boss Dario Vidosic, whose dad Rado, a coach with the Seagulls, had died earlier in the week, aged 64.
