Sporting briefs...

Bundesliga coaches: Wolfsburg sacked coach Klaus Augenthaler yesterday after finishing 15th in the Bundesliga and just avoiding relegation, the club said. Augenthaler has a contract running through the 2008/09 season. Wolfsburg were beaten 2-0 by Werder Bremen yesterday. Aachen coach Michael Frontzeck announced his resignation after their 4-0 loss at Hamburg SV. Aachen, who were promoted this season, finished 17th and will return to the second division. Frontzeck had a contract through next season.

Almeria promoted: Almeria secured promotion to the Primera Liga yesterday after a 3-1 victory at home to struggling Ponferradina. The Mediterranean club will join Valladolid and Real Murcia as the three second division sides who have earned a place in the top flight next season. Almeria's most well known player is Dutch goalkeeper Sander Westerveld.

Levski Sofia Champions: Levski Sofia clinched their second consecutive Bulgarian premier league title with a 5-3 win at city rivals Lokomotiv yesterday. The Blues, who became the first Bulgarian team competing in the Champions League's group stages this season, have an unassailable five-point lead over traditional foes CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv with one match remaining.

Ivory coast: Ivory Coast have moved their next African Nations Cup qualifier to Bouake in a symbolic gesture in support of the recent peace process, the Ivorian Football Federation said. The Group One match against Madagascar has been moved from the capital Abidjan to Bouake, which served as the capital of the rebel-held northern part of the divided west African country during its 2002-2003 civil war. The Ivorian government and northern rebels signed a peace accord in March.

Argentina squad: Strikers Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez were included on Friday in a 20-man Argentina squad for a friendly international against Switzerland on June 2. Coach Alfio Basile picked the core of Argentina's 2006 World Cup side for the friendly in Berne which he hopes will be the first of two on tour with a rival yet to be named for June 6. Defenders Roberto Ayala and Gabriel Heinze, midfielders Lucho Gonzalez, Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Mascherano and strikers Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola were also chosen.

Rallying: Triple world champion Sebastien Loeb stayed well ahead of the pack after day two of the Rally of Sardinia yesterday. The Citroen driver won four of the six second leg stages to hold a 36.5 second lead over Marcus Gronholm in the main BP-Ford works team. However, Gronholm took stages four and six on the day despite a puncture to slightly close the gap on Loeb, who had roared back from a shaky start to take the lead on the gravel roads late on Friday.

In Scotland: Premier League - Dundee Utd vs Motherwell 0-0; Dunfermline vs Falkirk 0-3; St Mirren vs Inverness 0-1. Today - 3 p.m. Aberdeen vs Rangers; Hibernians vs Celtic; Kilmarnock vs Hearts.