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Germany reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 as winners of Group B and sent Denmark crashing out after beating them 2-1 at the Arena Lviv.

Right-back Lars Bender's first international goal won the game for Joachim Loew's side on the night with 10 minutes remaining after Michael Krohn-Dehli had cancelled out Lukas Podolski's early opener.

There were some appeals for a Denmark penalty with 15 minutes remaining when Nicklas Bendtner appeared to have his shirt tugged by Holger Badstuber but referee Carlos Velasco Carballo - usually so liberal with his cards - did not take any action.

On an evening in which possession of the much-coveted second place in the group changed hands four times but failed to deliver the nail-biting finish the many group permutations had promised, a combination of Danish defeat in Lviv and Portugal's 2-1 win over Netherlands in Kharkiv saw the Danes eliminated by finishing third in the group on three points.

As group winners with nine points, Germany will play Greece in Gdansk on Friday June 22, while Portugal will face Czech Republic in Warsaw a day earlier after they finished second on six points. The Dutch go home with no points.

The victory for Germany means they have won every single competitive fixture since they lost 1-0 to Spain in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup, having come through the qualifying phase for this competition with 10 wins out of 10. What's more, they have opened the scoring in each of those 13 subsequent games.

As expected, Germany's pace and attacking thrust saw them have the best of the opening exchanges, with Thomas Mueller firing one half-volleyed shot over the bar before sending a tame side-footed effort trickling to the keeper from six yards.

Podolski opened the scoring for Germany, putting Portugal in the top two despite Rafael van der Vaart's opening goal for Netherlands in Kharkiv.

Podolski, who turned 27 years of age a fortnight ago, became the youngest European to reach 100 international caps, and he marked the occasion with his 44th goal for Germany.

The forward, who will be lining up for Arsenal next season, gave the Premier League a taste of what to expect on 19 minutes when he pounced on to a low cross from the right and fired home from 10 yards. Denmark keeper Stephan Andersen got both hands to the strike, but the power was enough for it to hit the net.

That goal had Portugal poised to go through alongside Germany by virtue of their superior head-to-head record with the rest of the group, but it was far from the final twist in the tale.

Germany's lead lasted just five minutes before Krohn-Dehli levelled up for the Danes. The Brondby man, who scored the winner in the 1-0 win over Netherlands, was the most alert when Bendtner nodded a corner back across goal, and the five-foot-seven midfielder glanced his own header past Manuel Neuer.

Denmark were now set to progress as the outright second-placed side, but there was more drama before the half-hour mark as Cristiano Ronaldo's goal was sending Portugal through thanks to their 3-2 win over Denmark last time out.

Podolski blazed over a free-kick from the edge of the box and Sami Khedira prodded an effort wide, but the score remained level at half-time with Denmark on their way out.

Morten Olsen's side made a brief stab of a fightback after the break, with Jakob Poulsen's strike shaving the outside of the post after good hold-up play by Bendtner, but in truth that was as close as they got.

Andersen was forced into a regulation save from Bastian Schweinsteiger low to his left, but once news filtered through that Ronaldo had scored his and Portugal's second in Kharkiv there looked no way back for Denmark - despite the fact that scoring one more of their own would put them through and Germany out.

Some thought they would have that chance when Bendtner was at full stretch to meet a floated ball into the box and Badstuber appeared to have a handful of the Arsenal striker's shirt. However, Spanish official Velasco - whose two red cards in the opening match of the tournament took his tally for the season to 17 and who averaged 7.5 bookings in La Liga last term - deemed the incident unworthy of his involvement.

On 80 minutes it was all over and Germany were confirmed as progressing with a 100 per cent record. Mesut Ozil's pass was too far ahead of substitute Miroslav Klose, but it ran ideally for Bender to meet on the run and sidefoot a cool finish past Andersen to open his international account on his ninth senior appearance.

Silvestre Varela kept Portugal's Euro 2012 hopes alive with a late goal in a 3-2 win over Group B rivals Denmark in Lviv.

Sunderland forward Nicklas Bendtner scored twice (41,80) as Morten Olsen's side recovered from falling 2-0 behind to Pepe's headed opener on 24 minutes and a Helder Postiga finish from inside the Danish area on 36 minutes.

Despite Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo missing a couple of obvious chances, substitute Varela sealed the three points for Portugal - their first win of the year after a series of indifferent results in friendies - when he walloped a blistering shot into the corner of the net at the second attempt from Fabio Coentrao's delightful pass.

Portugal were worth their win on the night. They join Denmark and Germany on three points with Germany due to face the Netherlands later on Wednesday.

Denmark upset the Dutch 1-0 on Saturday to leave the group delicately poised before the final round of games.

Portugal are the only country to have taken part in at least one group phase at the European Championships without ever going home before the quarter-finals.

They were at risk of falling out of the tournament if they lost this match and Germany drew with the Dutch, but eased their nerves by moving ahead on 24 minutes when Real Madrid defender Pepe rose to power home a header from Joao Moutinho's corner.

They doubled their lead 12 minutes later as Postiga swept the ball high into the Danish goal beyond keeper Stephan Andersen from Nani's delicious pass.

With coach Morten Olsen frantically scribbling down notes, Denmark looked to be heading for a drubbing until they reduced the deficit almost out of nothing four minutes before half-time.

Substitute Jacob Poulsen picked out Michael Krohn-Dehli - scorer of the winner against the Netherlands - deep in the opposition area and he headed back across goal for Bendtner to nod into the unguarded net.

It was his 19th goal in his 50th match for Denmark and a fifth goal in five games against Portugal for the former Arsenal man.

Ronaldo should have put his country 3-1 clear on 51 minutes when he raced in on goal only to fluff his lines as his shot lacked the necessary pace to beat Andersen.

He then looked to have paid the ultimate price when he bounded onto Nani's ball only to slip the shot wide of goal on 78 minutes - Denmark went level three minutes later.

Lars Jacobsen threw over an inviting cross for Bendtner to net his sixth goal in five games against Portugal as his header hit the back of the net via Rui Patricio's glove and post.

It looked like Portugal would need results elsewhere to stay alive in the tournament, but their destiny is back in their own hands courtesy of Varela's winning goal.

Portugal know a win over the Netherlands on Sunday will be enough to secure their place in the last eight. Ronaldo will hope for better times.

Alongside Russia's Aleksandr Kerzhakov (11 shots) and Robin van Persie (eight shots), Ronaldo (10 shots) is in the top three forwards with most efforts at goal. All three have yet to score at the finals.

Mario Gomez gave Germany a narrow 1-0 win over Portugal in Group B after a wretched match at the Arena Lviv in Ukraine.

The match seemed destined to finish goalless with both sides reluctant to commit bodies forward, but Bayern Munich's Gomez settled the match in Germany's favour when he rose to head Sami Khedira's deflected cross beyond Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio on 72 minutes.

Portugal enjoyed their best moments of the match when they were forced to throw caution to the wind in the death throes of the match, but their defensive approach did not contribute to an appetising spectacle as men such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Helder Postiga were forced to live off scraps for most of the evening.

Germany will reach the last eight if they beat the Netherlands on Wednesday night. It should be a fascinating occasion with the Dutch needing to avoid defeat having lost 1-0 to Denmark in Kharkiv earlier in the day.

Portugal showed enough against Germany in the final 18 minutes to suggest they can beat Denmark on Wednesday but they would be better served to adopt a more positive outlook against Morten Olsen's side.

The first period was a non-event in terms of being an event as Lukas Podolski drove a shot into the arms of Patricio on eight minutes with Thomas Mueller screwing a effort wide seven minutes before half-time.

The best chance of the half fell to Portugal a minute before half-time as Pepe saw a header come back off the underside of the bar before bouncing to safety.

Portugal claimed for a goal, but replays showed it had not crossed the line.

Jerome Boateng was forced to make a fine tackle on Ronaldo as he prepared to shoot inside the Germany box on 64 minutes. Gomez struck eight minutes later to settle the matches moments before he was going to be replaced.

Watched by Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, Portugal could have rescued a draw in the closing moments as Nani saw a cross clip the top of Germany's bar while Ronaldo's effort from distance was beaten out by Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer as it dipped and swerved in the air.

Neuer then spread himself superbly well to save from Varela after his fellow substitute Nelson Oliveira had shown some intelligence to play provider.

Portugal have never been eliminated from the group stage of the European Championships in five appearances. They at least know what is on the line before they confront Denmark.