Rainy weather in Basle, Switzerland didn't dampen the spirit of a classic match which got off to blazing start with both side showing great creativity.
The first thirty minutes contained mouth-watering football where Germany scored two goals in the space of four minutes midway through the half.
Germany scored a great team goal which Bastian Schweinsteiger converted. Miroslav Klose then scored a header from ten yards out from a set piece which left the Portugues deference adrift.
Klose's goal looked to put the game out of reach of the opposition, but Portuguese coach Luiz Philippe Scolari's men showed grit and determination to get back into the game.
Portugal scored in the 39th minute after some dramatic end-to-end action, Nuno Gomez catching the ball on the break and slotting it between the keeper and the centre back standing on the goal line.
It came from a move started in the Portuguese half by Deco, who raked a ball out to Cristiano Ronaldo, who fired a shot, and Gomez was in the right place to slot in the rebound.
Germany continued to look dangerous on the break, and the second half continued with much of the same verve.
Pepe missed a header halfway through the second half, from two yards which would have narrowed the gap.
Michael Ballack a few minutes later made the opposition's defence look second-rate, by scoring from a long ball which he headed clear.
Ballack appeared to push Portuguese defender Paulo Ferreira to gain an unfair advantage. The referee really missed that push from Ballack which led to the winning goal.
Nani came on soon after to give the trailing team more attacking options which went well as he set up Helder Postiga to pull Portugal back within one with only 3 minutes left on the clock, but Germany held on to it.
Germany now goes through to play Croatia or Turkey on the 25th of June.
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