Are results pre-determined before a ball is kicked?

[Joshiko]

yeap, i don't think so. i think every minor change we've made in the game contributes to the final result. i would think that the game engine acts like a "real time" simulator based on probability. this probability is based on the squad quality, formation, and possession (percentage of attendance, your and friend's attendance). i would say that the three minutes is the time required by the engine to gather data (check your team's condition, morale, illegal formation) and throw you the "initial condition" of player performance. i notice that with the very same squad you can get different efficiency. one time you might have 10 shots and 9 shots on target but another time you might have 10 shots but only 1 on target. or maybe sometimes your usual key player suddenly plays like crap and never create chances. or maybe you've already experienced how your opponent's defenders that have poor rating and form can always block your crossings, passing, shooting, or dribbling? and sometimes your opponent's goalkeeper can make 5 super saves in the game? i think this form is given at the first minute by the engine but we can change the way the game leads us if we make necessary and important changes throughout the game

[Accyrover]

yeap, i don't think so. i think every minor change we've made in the game contributes to the final result. i would think that the game engine acts like a "real time" simulator based on probability. this probability is based on the squad quality, formation, and possession (percentage of attendance, your and friend's attendance). i would say that the three minutes is the time required by the engine to gather data (check your team's condition, morale, illegal formation) and throw you the "initial condition" of player performance. i notice that with the very same squad you can get different efficiency. one time you might have 10 shots and 9 shots on target but another time you might have 10 shots but only 1 on target. or maybe sometimes your usual key player suddenly plays like crap and never create chances. or maybe you've already experienced how your opponent's defenders that have poor rating and form can always block your crossings, passing, shooting, or dribbling? and sometimes your opponent's goalkeeper can make 5 super saves in the game? i think this form is given at the first minute by the engine but we can change the way the game leads us if we make necessary and important changes throughout the game

Whilst I agree with much of what you have said there is one major flaw in your analysis.
That is what determines the game engine to suddenly turn all this info on it's head and spew out some vile results.
It changes to a rampaging bull elephant charging through logic and turning into inanity.
"This (IMO) is when I call the game engine a cheat" as it deliberately manipulates what many call a 'shock result'.
Many of these 'shock results" coming in matches were two legs are needed to determine the result, many of these 'shock results' are disguised IMO where the first leg is shown as maybe 1-0/2-1 to the stronger side when playing away then in the return the weaker side wins the away leg or vice versa.
As you quite rightly state probability serves as a major factor along with the codes assigned to what I call the fixed factors, condition, moral, win bonus, player quality, overall team quality, supporters and probably a few others, all in all making these 'shock results' all the more surprising.
One factor I'm starting to question is formations, do counters actually have any affect, how would the game engine for example treat MOM against zonal marking or 4-4-2 against 3-4-3.
Another factor I've now been checking for three season, goal scoring in competitions, as an example 3 strikers.
Striker 'A' starts the season playing cup games, striker 'B' starts league games and 'C' CL matches.
If you check their goals scored stats in my case I find that around the half way stage, the strikers that have been changed from the original competition they started in are very slow in bringing their strike rate into another comp.
One of my strikers started the cup games when I was knocked out he had scored 6 in 4 for the last game over two legs I brought in my CL top goal scorer with 14 in 6 he also has 10 in 6 in the league, he drew a blank in both legs of the cup, probability of that happening? well 24 in 12 speaks for itself as does 0-2.

We can only form opinions based on our own experiences but by pooling those experiences; a better insight as to how the engine determines results.

[Spyros]

yeap, i don't think so. i think every minor change we've made in the game contributes to the final result. i would think that the game engine acts like a "real time" simulator based on probability. this probability is based on the squad quality, formation, and possession (percentage of attendance, your and friend's attendance). i would say that the three minutes is the time required by the engine to gather data (check your team's condition, morale, illegal formation) and throw you the "initial condition" of player performance. i notice that with the very same squad you can get different efficiency. one time you might have 10 shots and 9 shots on target but another time you might have 10 shots but only 1 on target. or maybe sometimes your usual key player suddenly plays like crap and never create chances. or maybe you've already experienced how your opponent's defenders that have poor rating and form can always block your crossings, passing, shooting, or dribbling? and sometimes your opponent's goalkeeper can make 5 super saves in the game? i think this form is given at the first minute by the engine but we can change the way the game leads us if we make necessary and important changes throughout the game

My logic tends to align with this explanation, lets cross fingers it goes this way!