Soccer-Popular Vasco secure promotion back to Brazil's elite

By Pedro Fonseca

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Vasco da Gama, one of Brazil's most popular and successful clubs, sealed their promotion back to the top flight with four matches to spare on Saturday.

The recovery of the club from the northern districts of Rio de Janeiro from a controversial period that ended in last year's relegation follows the takeover as president by Roberto Dinamita.

Fans and players feted Roberto, a striker who played for Brazil at the 1978 and 1982 World Cups, after the 2-1 win over Juventude in front of a crowd of 80,000, a record for the season, at the Maracana.

A huge banner displayed by fans said "Thank you", but Roberto, said: "The players deserve congratulations. They're the ones who made this moment possible."

Roberto won the club's presidential election last year, ousting former government deputy Eurico Miranda, who had been the strong man inside the club since the early 1980s.

Founded by members of the Portuguese community in 1898, Vasco da Gama Boat Club have won the Brazilian championship four times since it was inaugurated in 1971.

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