Bayern Munich beat Bayer Leverkusen on pens to advance into German Cup semis

Bayern Munich have kept alive their hopes of claiming a treble this season by overcoming Bayer Leverkusen on penalty kicks in their DFB-Pokal quarter-final meeting at the BayArena.

The contest had to be settled by spot kicks following 120 goalless minutes, and it was Pep Guardiola's men, still in contention to win the Champions League and well ahead in the Bundesliga title race, who saw the tie out to progress through.

The tone for a quiet first half was set early on following a tame opening quarter to the game, with the first real shot not arriving until the 23-minute mark when Karim Bellarabi fired an effort over Manuel Neuer's bar.

Xabi Alonso's corner was latched on to by Thomas Muller as the Bavarian giants began to assert some authority, although his attempt was blocked away inside the area.

Bayern's best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell the way of Muller, but he saw his attempt kept out by Bernd Leno, before Bellarabi fired over a volley up the other end.

The home side may find themselves 19 points adrift of their opponents in the Bundesliga standings, but there was very little between the two in a livelier second half.

Youngster Julian Brandt struck an effort over the bar at the end of his positive run forward soon after the restart, while Mario Gotze - back in the side in place of the injured Bastian Schweinsteiger - headed wide when picked out around 10 yards from goal.

Robert Lewandowski, the Bayern hero last weekend with a match-winning strike at former club Borussia Dortmund, thought that he had given his side a lead on the hour-mark only for the strike to be ruled out for offside.

A fine stop from Neuer then proved the difference as Bayer themselves pushed for a breakthrough goal through Bellarabi, yet both sides continued to be frustrated as Lewandowski this time saw his effort kept out by Leno.

Bellarabi and Neuer continued their personal bout when the winger was denied for a second occasion, but chances proved to be few and far between for the remainder of normal time.

A flying save from Neuer took the contest into a period of extra time, which is generally bad news for any opponent facing off against the Bavarians as they have now progressed in their last 12 games that have gone the distance.

Gotze could have settled some nerves when he was picked out with the goal at his mercy, only to fire wide on the volley. Leno and Neuer were both kept busy in the additional 30 minutes, ensuring a cagey conclusion to the tie which was ultimately decided by spot kicks.

Josip Drmic missed the hosts' first pen, and Munich did not look back by firing away all five of their own to advance into the final four.