East Bengal versus Mohun Bagan has been a nail-biting battle more often than not. One missed kick, one wrong pass and you are exposed to the wrath of thousands of fans.
Ask Prabhsukhan Singh Gill. The Kerala Blasters goalkeeper arrived in East Bengal at the age of 23, a season after winning the Golden Glove in 2021-2022. A young goalkeeper and an Indian Super League (ISL)-winning coach in Carles Cuadrat – East Bengal fans once again dreamed of glory days.
Gill conceded 25 goals in 21 games that season (2023-2024). East Bengal finished ninth in the table, with a loss and a draw against Bagan. Hopes for a revival quickly evaporated.
In his first derby in the ISL, Gill conceded twice, both at the near post. During two matches against Bagan in ISL 2023-2024, he let in five goals and emotions got the better of the fans as doubts were raised about his abilities.
The re-signing of Debjit Majumder – who had been a regular starter for Chennaiyin FC – the following season only fueled rumors that the club was looking for alternatives. Gill improved marginally, conceding one (24) fewer goals in the ISL.
However, current East Bengal coach Oscar Bruzon stuck with him and ensured he was given a better base in the box and a more alert presence to provoke counter-attacks, both of which proved crucial in the last East Bengal derby in Kolkata.
Going into the derby, East Bengal needed at least a draw to stay in the title race, and thought they had won the match when Edmund Lalrindika scored in the 84th minute.
However, Bagan equalized within five minutes and almost won the match in second-half stoppage time when Jamie Maclaren, receiving a pass from Jason Cummings, tried to poke the ball from the left.
It was here that Gill’s moment of redemption arrived. He extended his left foot and placed it in the right place and at the right time to block the shot. In a match between an Australian World Cup veteran and an Indian player who is yet to make his international debut, the latter had the last laugh while the former kept his hands on his head in disbelief.
«Gill is a boy who needs a lot of support and good words. He likes confidence. He has grown in the match,» Bruzon said after the match.
«You saw in the first half that he had some problems with the kicks. It was not very well defined where the kicks should be taken, the long kicks. But we gave him confidence at half time. We gave him some instructions to play more diagonal and long balls. I think his confidence slowly grew, and in the second half, not only during the last save, but also in the area from yesterday, he looked very good. I am very satisfied with his performance,» Bruzon added.
After three seasons in Kolkata, Gill has slowly become harder to beat, both physically and mentally, going from 1.19 goals per game in 2023/24 to 0.833 this season. His side are unbeaten in nine games in the competition, have lost just once in twelve games and are at the top of the table for the final round.
Gill’s attacking ability has also improved, evidenced by an early chance when he kicked a long diagonal ball to PV Vishnu, who almost scored the opening goal of the match.
Gill had joined Kerala Blasters as a backup to Albino Gomes in the 2021-22 season and earned the best goalkeeper award within a season.
Now that he is in Calcutta, after struggling in back-to-back campaigns, he may have finally honed his art to steady his nerves and become a hero for fans when it matters.
Published on May 18, 2026
