SOCCER

Major League Soccer said there’s “no denying” the U.S. national team’s elimination from the 2018 World Cup field is a setback.

The league issued a statement Wednesday, a day after the United States fell, 2-1, to Trinidad and Tobago in Couva to end a run of seven straight American appearances at soccer’s premier tournament.

“There is no denying that this is a setback for all of us involved with the game in our country. And while this is a missed opportunity for soccer in the United States, we remain incredibly bullish on the future of the sport,” the league’s statement said.