Rio De Janeiro, Nov 25 (Reporter) Rafael Paiva has been sacked as manager of Vasco da Gama amid a poor run of results, the Rio de Janeiro club said. The announcement followed a 3-1 loss at Corinthians earlier in the day, the club's fourth straight defeat in Brazil's top flight. "Rafael will no longer be with us," Vasco president Pedrinho Oliveira told reporters after the match at Corinthians Arena. "I want to thank him publicly for the work he did during this period. Unfortunately it's a decision that has to be made but nobody is happy about it," Oliveira added. Vasco is currently 11th in the 20-team standings, six points clear of the relegation zone with three games remaining in the season. Assistant coach Felipe Loureiro is expected to fill the vacant position on a caretaker basis...////...