Nine-man East Bengal FC showcased their unrelenting grit and utmost determination for more than an hour as they registered a hard-fought point against Mohammedan Sporting Club in the Indian Super League (ISL)’s Kolkata derby at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday.

The Red and Gold Brigade were two men down inside the opening half as Nandhakumar Sekar and Naorem Mahesh Singh were sent off in the 29th and 30th minutes, respectively. Moreover, the Kolkata-based side became the first team to concede two red cards in the first half in the league’s history.

The pressure was paramount for Oscar Bruzon’s men to defend their goal for almost 70 minutes in such a high-voltage fixture. However, East Bengal FC tackled all odds stacked against them with a strong performance as they defended like tigers to snap their six-match losing streak and secure their first point in the ISL 2024-25 season.

“We know that we haven’t won a single game in the ISL; that was the only motivation,” Gill said in an exclusive interview to indiansuperleague.com after their heroic defensive performance against the Black and White Brigade.

The East Bengal FC goalkeeper expressed his cordial gratitude to their faithful fanbase for their undying support and unwavering passion throughout the entire game. Gill acknowledged that all the players were positive and motivated enough to turn the tides around and cope with all the difficulties.

“When we went to halftime, we were all positive; only one talk was there that we had to fight together, and that’s all we could do,” he stated.

“We were already nine men, and I think I didn’t feel that we were nine because the fans were just amazing because they supported us for 100 minutes, and we are very fortunate to have such big fans,” he continued.

While quizzed about their defensive resilience despite being two men down against their city rivals, Mohammedan SC, the Punjab -born footballer answered,

“I don’t think I will ever forget this moment because, with nine men since the 28th minute, I don’t think any team in the ISL have done this before or maybe even in other leagues.”

“From the 28th minute, nine men fighting for a point in such a big ground like Salt Lake, not even a short ground, just amazing,” he added.

Following East Bengal FC’s 0-0 draw in the Kolkata derby, Gill has registered his first cleansheet in the ongoing season. The goalkeeper, who was arguably at his best against the Black and White Brigade, made five crucial saves and has been outstanding with his sharp outings and quick reflexes.

However, Gill thanked his teammates, who fought tooth and nail, thwarting Mohammedan SC’s attacking moves to finish the game on level terms.

“As I said, I didn’t have to make many saves in the second half, so all credit goes to those eight warriors who fought in front of me and Im very happy at least for the one point,” Gill remarked.

The former Golden Glove winner was optimistic about delivering positive performances in the upcoming matches after overcoming the initial setbacks.

“Hopefully, in the coming games, you will see East Bengal FC fighting for more points,” Gill signed off with a positive note.