Bayern Munich Edge Manchester United 3-2 in Women's Champions League

Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final hopes took a hit at Old Trafford

Bayern Munich secured a narrow 3-2 win over Manchester United in the Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg, with Pernille Harder scoring twice.

Bayern Munich's Momoko Tanikawa scored the winner as they beat Manchester United 3-2 in the Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg...

Bayern Munich's Pernille Harder scored twice, leading her team to a 3-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg. Harder, a former United supporter, opened the scoring just two minutes in, beating the home defense with a cool finish.

We're narrowly beaten at Old Trafford, but it's all to play for next week in Munich 👊 pic.twitter.com/eYCFdKnBbx

— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) March 25, 2026

Manchester United fought back, equalizing twice through Maya Le Tissier's penalty and Hanna Lundkvist's header. However, Momoko Tanikawa's 84th-minute strike secured Bayern's narrow advantage heading into the second leg.

The Dane said, “To score two goals at Old Trafford, it's a dream come true.” United refused to be swept away by that early blow in their first ever Champions League quarter-final in the women's game.

Maya Le Tissier scored a penalty to level the game after the ball hit Bayern's Glodis Viggosdottir on the arm. The sparse crowd at the Theatre of Dreams witnessed a slow start to the second half, but things picked up in the final quarter with three goals in 13 minutes.

The match had a sluggish start, but the last 13 minutes of the second half were explosive, with three goals changing the game. 

Harder, who set a world record transfer fee when she joined Chelsea in 2020, scored again with a clinical finish, using her pace to get behind the defense. But United equalized again, with Hanna Lundkvist heading in Le Tissier's corner. Bayern held on, and Momoko Tanikawa sealed their win with a late goal, firing into the far corner six minutes from time.

“The encouraging thing is that this tie is still alive,” said United boss Marc Skinner.

"I'm frustrated with the goals that we conceded because they are pretty poor, but it is something really easily fixed going into the next leg where we know the threats that they have got now.”

Bayern Munich is feeling confident about reaching the Champions League semi-finals after their narrow win over Manchester United. However, their path to European glory just got tougher, with Barcelona likely waiting in the semi-finals after thrashing Real Madrid 6-2 in the quarter-final first leg.

🌟 Wednesday's first-leg MVPs 🌟#UWCLPOTM || @VodafoneGroup

— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) March 25, 2026

The German giants take on Real Madrid next in the quarter-final, and if they come out on top, they'll face the winner of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid. Barcelona's impressive form has them top of LaLiga, and they've netted seven goals in their last two games.