WASHINGTON, D.C. - With his appearance in Saturday's 3-0 win over Charlotte FC, Azaad Liadi became the first Georgia Southern Eagle to appear in a regular-season Major League Soccer match.

Liadi was loaned by Loudoun FC from the USL Championship this weekend as the formal relationship between the two clubs allows players to move when needed.

Georgia Southern head coach John Murphy stated: "We are all very proud of AZ here at Georgia Southern men's soccer as it is a credit to him and all his hard work and dedication over the years. He was an amazing contributor to our program and we're so pleased that he's pushing on to greater heights through the USL1, the USL Championship and now in MLS. We will certainly continue to track his progress and wish him the very best this season in DC and with Loudoun."

With Liadi's appearance, this is the 14th player to move from college to the professional level domestically (MLS, USL Championship, and USL 1) that worked under Murphy in his 23 years coaching at the collegiate level. 

Liadi signed with Loudoun United on Jan. 28, 2022 from South Georgia Tormenta FC. The winger started his professional career with FC Tucson in USL League One in March 2020, scoring three goals and recording three assists in 15 appearances (11 starts). Ahead of the 2021 season, the winger moved to South Georgia Tormenta FC, where he scored seven goals and recorded five assists in 27 appearances (24 starts).