Away to Koln.
The team arrived at Koln to find 'that' pitch.
https://www.evo-web.co.uk/threads/the-retro-pes-corner.78697/page-57#post-3288220 Koln hadn't lost at home since laying it, or should that be ploughing it. The players were given motion sickness tablets before taking the field.
Koln kicked off apparently oblivious to the mesmerising pitch and took an early lead after the PES Utd keeper, Como, presumably blinded by the pitch, let the ball underneath him from a fairly straightforward shot. Then as half time approached PES Utd stole the ball in midfield and quickly pushed forward. Minanda found some space in behind the full back who had advanced upfield in Koln's attack. Romaldinho fed him the ball and he surged (as best he can currently surge at 58 speed) into the empty space as the full back fought to get back. With Agata in the middle the CB had to stay with him leaving room for the cross. Minanda met it sweetly on the run with his left foot, the ball arrowing towards Agata. He stooped in front of the CB and directed a lovely header across the keeper and in at the far post! Chalk up a first assist for Minanda Jnr.
Koln started the second half on the attack and the pitch was clearly getting to the PES Utd players who were looking groggy and bleary eyed by this time. Minanda was hugging the touchline, not because he had been told to stretch the pitch but so as he could lean over it and throw up if necessary. Finally on 75 minutes and looking very green around the gils he was substituted. He sat on the bench with his eyes closed opening them only when he heard a cheer to find the ball in the back of the PES net. Koln had grabbed a late winner.
Koln 2-1 PES Utd
Minanda received a 6.0. 2 Shots, 1 on Target. 1 assists 13 passes with 8 complete from 25 touches.
Next came Brugge at home.
A strong Brugge team with Balaban up front were a very difficult proposition for a PES Utd team who are aging in almost every department with many 30+ players in the best starting 11. Uncle Jose will be addressing this in the coming transfer windows, funds permitting.
PES Utd caused an early shock to Brugge by scoring the opening goal. This unfortunately woke up them up though and they had a lot of pressure for the rest of the half, equalising on 30 minutes and looking like going ahead with most attacks. Minanda even found himself in his own penalty area on more than one occasion. He was getting a lot of touches of the ball but no room to do much with it other than laying it off as the full back had way too much pace for him. He managed to draw a couple of free kicks but too far out for Romaldinho to try a strike from.
Second half was much the same as Brugge pushed forward looking for a winner, which they eventually found midway through the half as had seemed inevitable. PES Utd huffed and puffed but didn't cause too many problems for the Brugge backline and the visitors saw the game out in relative comfort.
PES Utd 1-2 Brugge
Minanda: 5.5 Rating. 4 shots, 1 on target. 73% pass completion. 50 touches.
Next up was the First Round, first leg of the D2 Cup. A cup that Minanda Sr very often was rested for but never recorded a victory in the games that he did play in.
PES Utd were drawn against Koln but thankfully the first leg was at home (note to self - change Koln's stadium in the editor before the second leg!)
Whether it was because it was an evening game or just a case of Minanda beginning to get to grips with the professional game was not clear but although he didn't see too much of the ball, as indeed his whole side didn't, when he did get it there were murmurs in the crowd that he showed signs of being a chip off the old block. Some of the women in the crowd even mentioned his hair was showing signs of being of a level approaching his father's, but these were shouted down by Minanda Sr, who with a twirl of his head caused several of them to faint.
As for Minanda Jr his passes were incisive all night, setting up two chances for Agate, the second of which he took for what turned out to be the winning goal. A clean sheet and a goal lead to take into the second leg. In one game Minanda Jr had won more cup matches than his father.
PES Utd 1-0 Koln (Minanda 1 assist)
Minanda completed 90% of his 20 passes, together with the assist and despite just 28 touches in the game earned a rating of 7.0 that would have seen him man of the match but for the impressive keeping from Rodriguez in goal for PES who kept Koln at bay with several fine saves.
Wanting to keep the pressure away from the young Minanda, Uncle Jose knocked back questions in the press conference afterwards, telling them to let the kid learn his trade and progress in his own time.
I'm forgetting at times that I need to control the changes. In the second game after about 30 minutes Agata got a knock and had the yellow cross when he got stretchered off then came back on. After around 60 minutes i thought, they haven't taken him off yet, before the penny dropped! 
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