Ah, what a shame! I strongly believed and thought you would win the return, especially with the latest improvements you did with your team. But at the same time, don't know anything about the opposition. Then again, a little unfair to play against teams a level or two higher then yourself.
Think the 3-2 and the 3-3 goals are a little way "down the road", and a clear indicator that he was "suppose" to get a equalizer or perhaps a win. This happens to me sometimes when I'm facing a weaker opponent, could get 2 or 3 goals just a minute after the other, just "like that". Engine fail, perhaps?
Then about the tactics, don't know which kind of orders you have set for the 4-2-2-2 but I try to play as "simple as I can", giving the players more or less choice and don't bother if they choose to play the ball short, long or through the middle/down the flanks. Then since he played with a three man defence, you could have done the same, just off with the DL-DR and in with a MC the last twenty or quarter. This is something that I'm considering of doing today.
About the predictions, you could have gone far or you could have been eliminated in the next stage (final-eight), but that's nothing you can predict. There are two "funny" teams in the CUP tournament, a russian and one from the caribbeans, both playing with weird formations and sometimes players out of positions - but they still managed to win and procced to the next round. Also there are some "unfair" draws, weaker playing against stronger and vice versa.
But don't know, I try to see the CUP as something fun. I don't play for the money neither (since the prize money are a joke), but rather for the challenge and treat.