COMEBACK keeper Scott Bain WILL face Aberdeen in the delayed Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden on Sunday.
The Hoops’ forgotten man, who played most of last season in the shadow of Fraser Forster and stand-by Craig Gordon, is ready to take his place against the Dons after his display in France last night.
Bain made a dramatic penalty-kick save at a crucial stage in the 2-2 Europa League Group H draw with Lille just before the interval with the visitors leading through a double strike from Mohamed Elyounoussi.
He was blameless as the Ligue 1 high-flyers roared back after the turnaround, but did enough to show Neil Lennon he is the man in form to get the nod ahead of £4.5million Greek international Vasilis Barkas who was on the bench at the Stade Pierre Mauroy.
The Hoops gaffer is not committing himself at the moment, but CQN will confidently predict the former Dundee shotstopper will be the team’s last line of defence when they take on the Pittodrie side with a historic quadruple treble a mere three hours away.
Lennon, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “I was delighted with Scott. He was excellent. We felt really aggrieved at the penalty decision, but he made a great save and a couple of others in the first-half.
“Scott has trained well. I think there has been a real sea change in his attitude to his work.
“He’s in the gym very early in the morning and he’s reaping the benefits of that. We put a lot of trust in him and faith as we also do in Barkas, but Scott has done his chances no harm with another big performance.
“When you go away in Europe, you need your goalkeeper to play well and he stood up. He can be pleased with himself as we are. Everything he did he handled well.”
DRAMA AS HOOPS HOLD ON AFTER TWO-GOAL ADVANTAGE
