Honestly, it's close, but Japan tends to handle big pressure games a bit better, at least from what I've seen and read. Japan's been crushing it in Asian qualifiers for years and they already secured a spot for the 2026 World Cup. They've got this mature, calm way of playing even when the stadium is freaking out. I remember watching their players just coolly passing the ball around in those crazy knockout games, barely looking nervous at all.

Australia has some epic moments too, though. Like, they've pulled off last-minute wins and dramatic qualifications plenty of times, and playing at home gives them a huge boost. Their players just seem to rise up when the crowd gets loud. But if you look at straight-up stats, Japan has lost fewer qualifiers under pressure and usually gets the job done earlier. That doesn't mean they always win—sometimes Australia flips the script, like in 2017 when they needed a win and just did it. But yeah, if I was betting, I’d say Japan’s just a bit more clutch in these "do-or-die" games. Still, with soccer, anything can happen and sometimes underdogs just go off!