France to face Sweden

France will play three-times runners-up Sweden on Sunday while twice winners Croatia, who were seeking to become the first male side to win three Olympic golds, will battle Hungary for bronze.

World champions France handed Croatia their first defeat at the London Games thanks largely to a superb performance from their goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer, the former world player of the year frustrating the confident Balkan side.

Omeyer saved eight of Croatia's first nine shots on target as France took a 5-1 lead after 11 minutes, and although their opponents came back and stayed within sight it was too much of a mountain to climb.

"Every time we play France, Omeyer makes 20 saves. He always has the best day when they play us," Manuel Strlek told Reuters.

Omeyer saved 13 of 23 attempts on goal in total for an astonishing save ratio of 57 percent but refused to get carried away after the game despite spending most of it waving his arms wildly to pump the crowd up.

"I'm just happy to have been able to help my team," he told Reuters.

Croatia's Ivano Balic called the French performance "complete" after he and his teammates spent long periods of Saturday evening chasing shadows.

The reigning champions started well then went through a dip but any time Croatia threatened to mount a charge France had an answer.

Quarter-final match-winner William Accambray made several key bursts and scored three goals from four shots in a lively second period, while Luc Abalo, Samuel Honrubia and Daniel Narcisse notched up four each.

France once again proved too much for Croatia to handle in an Olympic semi-final, the pair having met four years ago in Beijing with the same outcome.

That was revenge for Croatia's last-four win in 1996 at Atlanta though in more recent times France have had the edge, beating their rivals for the 2009 world championship and in the 2010 European championship final.

Croatia will now be out to deny Hungary a first Olympic men's handball medal and add to their tally of two golds in three previous Games appearances.

"We need to find some energy and bring home a bronze medal," said Balic.