Gabi Portilho's 82nd-minute goal proved decisive in Nantes as Brazil claimed a place in the semi-finals.

Matters could have been vastly different for France had Sakina Karchaoui converted an early penalty, but she fluffed her lines from 12 yards.

Brazil will face world champion Spain in the last four, while the other semi-final will see Germany take on United States.

Germany drew 0-0 with defending champion Canada after 120 minutes of action in Marseille.

But Ashley Lawrence and Adriana Leon saw their penalties saved by Ann-Katrin Berger, who subsequently stepped up to slot in the crucial spot-kick as Germany secured a 4-2 shootout victory.

France has now been eliminated at the quarter-final stage in seven of the past eight international tournaments in which it has participated.

Meanwhile, United States and Germany will meet again in the last four of a major tournament for the fifth time, which is two more than any other match-up in the history of the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Olympic Games.