PARIS — Midfielder Mathieu Cafaro scored from a free kick midway through the second half as Reims beat Strasbourg 2-1 to move up to eighth place in the French league.
Moussa Doumbia put Reims ahead after just seven minutes with a half-volley which went in off the post. Adrien Thomasson equalized shortly after halftime for Strasbourg but substitute Cafaro sealed victory in the 66th.
Only four matches are going ahead this weekend, with another game moved to Tuesday and five postponed.
Runaway league leader Paris Saint-Germain’s match at Dijon on Saturday was initially maintained before also being called off at the request of authorities. This is because police forces across the country are being stretched amid anti-government protests and in the wake of a deadly Christmas market attack this week in Strasbourg.
A minute’s silence was being held at all soccer stadiums in France’s first and second divisions this weekend in memory of the victims and their families.
Reims players showed their support by unfurling a banner in front of the Strasbourg fans which said "Strasbourg Toujours" (Strasbourg Forever). Strasbourg president Marc Keller looked emotional as he applauded Reims fans, and Strasbourg’s travelling fans held up two large black banners with nothing written on them.
Sunday’s games are Nice vs. Saint-Etienne; Nimes vs. second-place Lille, and Lyon vs. Monaco.
Caen vs. Toulouse will take place on Tuesday.
The six matches were postponed last week amid security concerns about anti-government protests. Those are rescheduled for Jan. 15-16.
PSG will play its match against Montpellier on Jan. 15, but it may now be pushed back to February since it clashes with PSG’s planned winter training camp in Qatar.
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