Elodie Thomis fired France into an Olympic quarter-final showdown with Sweden after a narrow victory over Colombia.

The Lyon winger's early strike was enough to claim the points, although a resilient display by keeper Sandra Sepulveda and a second-half Colombian fightback ensured the result remained in doubt until the final whistle.

France, inspired by the classy Louisa Necib, took the lead with just five minutes gone when the pacy Thomis got in behind full-back Natalia Ariza and calmly chipped the advancing Sepulveda.

But had it not been for the Colombia keeper, Ricardo Rozo's side would have been dead and buried long before half-time.

She pulled off a string of fine saves, turning Thomis' 26th-minute shot on to the bar and then somehow clawing out Gaetane Thiney's close-range effort five minutes later, although she needed the help of the woodwork on two further occasions.

Sepulveda denied Marie-Laure Delie one-on-one as the break approached to keep her side in the game once again with her team-mates offering little in response.

However, Colombia rallied after the break and striker Ingrid Vidal saw a 57th-minute cross drift just past the far post and fast-arriving midfielder Carmen Rodallega with French keeper Sarah Bouhaddi beaten, and substitute Tatiana Ariza poked a shot wide five minutes from time with the goal at her mercy.