Nhlapo endured relegation with Highlands Park last term but landed up with a league winners' medal as he joined them midway through the campaign on loan from eventual champions Bidvest Wits.
Nhlapo also picked up a MTN8 winners' medal with the Students despite not being in the 18-man squad for the 2016 final.
Matsatsantsa will on Saturday battle Cape Town City for MTN8 honours in Durban.
“You can only be that fortunate or blessed because this doesn’t come around that often,” Nhlapo tells snl24.com/kickoff when asked about his situation.
“For some people they have never been to a final in their careers, let alone win one. So for me I have obviously taken this into consideration based on the fact that looking at where I was last season this has been a positive spin. I started off the past season with Wits who won the MTN8 and the league but was loaned out to Highlands Park halfway through the season and they ended up getting relegated.
“Now having been with a team that was relegated just a few months ago to now being with one that is a final again is something that I never thought would happen so quick. I thought it was going to take some time for me to get to adjust here at SuperSport because there was confidence matters to be factored in but I have fitted in quick. For me to be here is a huge confidence booster,” he explains as he looks up to the final at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
“We are facing a strong team in Cape Town City but we will be up for the challenge. We don’t doubt ourselves at all because we have been putting in the work. To be part of such a team is an achievement for me. It comes at the right time for us to be going to the cup final. I really want that winners’ medal again.”
He adds: “I did get the medal for the MTN8 last season. I was in the squad of 20 players that travelled but I wasn’t in the match day 18. I had to go up to the stands with Ben Motshwari. With the league, Jose Ferreira [Wits CEO] also gave me a medal for the league because they felt I contributed before I went on loan.”
Nhlapo played just two league games for Wits last season before moving away on loan. He penned a three-year deal with SuperSport in July.