SOCCER: Tanikawa the tonic for Bayern in Women's Champions League win over Man United

Bayern Munich's Momoko Tanikawa came off the bench to set up a goal and score the winner as her team defeated Manchester United 3-2 in a thrilling first leg of their Women's Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The visitors took an early lead when Danish striker Pernille Harder broke past the United defense in the second minute and calmly finished to put Bayern ahead. Manchester United responded in the 24th minute with a penalty converted by Maya Le Tissier, and the teams went into halftime tied.

Tanikawa, fresh from winning the Women's Asian Cup with Japan on Saturday, entered the match in the 59th minute. Just 12 minutes later, she assisted Harder for her second goal of the night, bringing her tally to seven in this season’s competition.

United fought back once more when Hanna Lundkvist headed in a Le Tissier corner to level the score. But Tanikawa had the final say, scoring a beautifully crafted goal after a slick exchange with Franziska Kett, giving Bayern a one-goal advantage ahead of next week’s second leg.

In the earlier quarter-final, Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor scored twice as her team crushed Spanish rivals Real Madrid 6-2 away, taking a strong lead into the return leg at the Camp Nou.

-Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Toby Davis/Reuters