A free-kick shot reaches the net. Before calling it a goal, ask one thing: did the referee signal an indirect free kick?
What the raised arm tells you
For an indirect free kick, the referee holds one arm above the head until another player touches the ball, it leaves play, or a direct goal is no longer possible. The signal stays relevant while the ball travels.
A second touch changes the picture
The kicker may not touch the ball again until someone else has touched it. On an indirect free kick, that touch may come from either team. So a clean shot that goes straight in is not enough by itself.
Use the restart to check your reading
When an indirect free kick is correctly signaled and nobody touches the ball before it enters the opponents’ goal, the restart is a goal kick. A direct free kick can score without another touch. If the referee awards an indirect free kick but fails to signal it, and the ball goes straight into goal, IFAB requires the free kick to be retaken.