Francisco Neto’s side needed a minor miracle to book their place in the quarter-finals, and their quest took a damaging blow when Belgium broke the deadlock in the third minute.
Captain Tessa Wullaert slid the ball home with an excellent first-time finish from a Jill Janssens cross, leaving Portugal staring down the barrel of elimination.
Elisabet Gunnarsdottir’s team had a chance to double their lead when Justine Vanhaevermaet just missed Tessa Wullaert’s pass, which cut through the A Seleccao das Quinas defence with ease.
Diana Gomes spurned an opportunity to restore parity after Francisca Nazareth’s free-kick caught out Belgium’s defence, before Diana Silva almost caught Lisa Lichtfus at her near post with an angled effort.
However, football paled into insignificance when Jassina Blom was stretchered off injured following a late challenge from Gomes. Neto’s team had made a strong end to the half, but Ana Capeta’s hugely disappointing attempted lob epitomised their frustrations.
The defending from both sides after the restart was chaotic to say the least, as Mariam Toloba fired wide from inside the box before Lichtfus denied Capeta down the other end.
The game was incredibly open, and Toloba was able to fire another close-range shot over the bar. Toloba thought she had finally etched her name on the scoresheet with a clinical finish at the end of a sweeping move, but Portugal’s blushes were spared when VAR determined Marie Detruyer had fouled Andreia Jacinto in the build-up.
Todoba was enduring a frustrating night after her header cannoned off the crossbar from Wullaert’s cross, and the Belgian Red Flames spurned another chance to increase their advantage.
Still, Portugal did manage to find an equaliser courtesy of Telma Encarnacao, who rifled home a fine left-footed finish past Lichtfus after she latched onto Nazareth’s excellent through ball.
Gunnarsdottir’s side thought they had had the last word with one of the messiest goals you could have ever imagined. Again, the defending left a huge amount to be desired, as the ball ricocheted off Amber Tysiak and into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
They did manage to score late on in a dramatic climax to a breathless contest, when Janice Cayman smashed home a loose ball from deep inside the area to exit the competition on a winning note.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Tessa Wullaert (Belgium)